
""Vy ,U 'if, 

















































THE YOUNG MINERALOGIST SERIES 

III 

The Jaws of Death 


I 




THE JAWS OF 
DEATH ^ 


Or, IN AND AROUND THE CANONS OF THE 
COLORADO 




35y 


Prof. Edwin J. Houston, A. M., Ph. D. (Princeton) 

\\ 

Author of 

“ Five Months on a Derelict,” “ Wrecked on a Coral Island "* 

“ In Captivity in the Pacific,” ‘‘At School in the Cannibal Islands ” 

“ The North Pole Series,” “ The Young Prospector ” 

“The Wonder Books of Science,” etc., etc. 


ILLUSTRATED BY H. WESTON TAYLOR 


THE GRIFFITH & ROWLAND PRESS 

PHILADELPHIA 

BOSTON CHICAGO ST. LOUIS 

TORONTO, CAN. 




. VHv* 

-T ^ 


Copyright 1911 by 
A. J. ROWLAND, Secretary 


Published April, 1911 


LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS 


Page 

In the Jaws of Death Frontispiece 

“ Gordon took a sealed letter from the pocket re- 
ferred to” 21 

“ Mashinsky drew his dagger” 70 

“ Happy understood that Bill was speaking to him 

and not to the Shamans” 143 

“ ‘ Look at those tzvo white men. Do you think 

they are Mormons ?’ ” * ipo 


“ But he made no alloivance for the curve 


3i5 


CHARACTERS 


Robert Harold Gordon, Sr. ) 

>• Mining engineers. 

Robert Harold Gordon, Jr. J 

Robert Harold Gordon, 3RD., or “ Rob.” 

John Alexander Christian, mining engineer and 
friend of Robert Harold Gordon, Sr. 

Prof. Joseph Jackson Engleman, geologist and 
mining engineer. 

Ralph Earl Clinton, or c< Happy ” ; \ 
always lucky. I 

Carl Emil Schloss, fond of chemis-l-p. , , . 

} Rob s chums. 

try. ( 

Norman Edwin Taggart, from Bos- ) 
ton, nephew of Engleman. / 

Fred Lossing, Francksen’s apprentice. 

Blavinski, a Russian nobleman. 

August Wilfred Francksen, a Philadelphia lapi- 
dary. 

Joseph Smith, a Mormon, leader of the \ 

Danites. f Prospectors 

Ephraim Smith, brother of Joseph ( a nd miners. 
Smith. / 


CHARACTERS 


B. B. Blank, a Philadelphia detective. 

Ivan Petromelinski, a Russian detective. 

Stanislaus Met-\ 

chiniskoff. f 

V Russian thieves and murderers. 
Sigismund Ma-( 

SHINSKY. ) 

Colorado Bill, the principal cowboy guide; great 
friend of Happy’s. 

Mr. Brown, of Utah, owner of the boats. 

Big Frank, a cowboy guide. 

Pete, the cowboy guide of Robert Harold Gordon, Jr. 

Awake-in-the-Night, Indian guide for Christian and 
Engleman. 

Light-of-the-Sun, head shaman of the Pueblo vil- 
lage. 


PREFACE 


“ The Jaws of Death,” although a distinct and in- 
dependent book, contains a description of the ad- 
ventures of practically the parties who have already 
been described in the first and second volumes of “ The 
Young Mineralogist Series ” ; i. e. } “ A Chip of the Old 
Block,” and “ The Land of Drought.” 

“ The Jaws of Death ” contains a full description of 
a number of exciting adventures, during which Rob’s 
grandfather and father are liberated from the Mor- 
mons. It takes its name from the fact that during 
some of these adventures a few of the party, under the 
guidance of Awake-in-the-Night, took the risk of pass- 
ing through the canons of the Colorado River, south 
of the union of the Green and the Grand Rivers. 

The name, Jaws of Death, was given to this region 
by Awake-in-the-Night, in order to express the great 
danger that attended a journey through a depressed 
river channel, that not only frequently changes its di- 
rection, but was at different points rendered almost 
unnavigable by dangerous rapids and waterfalls. 

Valuable information is given of some of the more 
striking mineralogical and geological features of the 
adjacent country, especially of the wonders that are 
to be seen at the bottom of the canons. At the same 
time, however, care has been taken not to permit the 
wish to impart valuable instruction to lessen in any 
degree the interest of the story. 


Philadelphia, January, 1911. 


E. J. H. 


CONTENTS 


Chapter p AGB 

I. Robert Harold Gordon, Junior n 

II. Robert Harold Gordon, Senior 24 

III. Gordon and Pete Taken Captives by 

the Danites 37 

IV. A Council of War 52 

V. The Further Adventures of Mashin- 

SKY 65 

VI. The Mesa Verde 75 

VII. The Cliff Village on the Rio Mancos 86 

VIII. Happy Captured by the Pueblo Sha- 
mans 98 

IX. The Flight from the Cliff Village. . no 

X. Colorado Bill on the Trail 122 

XI. Happy's Escape from the Pueblo Sha- 
mans 132 

XII. Happy and Bill Take Refuge in the 

Cliff Village 145 

XIII. Happy Liberates Pete 158 

XIV. On the Tracks of Joseph Smith and 

the Gordons 170 

XV. An Adventure of Rob and Norman in 

the Bad Lands 181 


CONTENTS 


Chapter Page 

XVI. Petromelinski and Blank as Pur- 
chasers of Mining Claims 195 

XVII. Colorado Bill, Pete, and Happy Get 

Busy 21 1 

XVIII. The Jaws of Death 226 

XIX. The Start. Cataract Canon 235 

XX. The Camp-fire. Talks About the 

Mormons 248 

XXI. Journey Through the Canon Con- 
tinued 259 

XXII. A Storm. Both Boats Lost 271 

XXIII. Wreck of the Rafts and Recovery 

of the Boats 280 

XXIV. Again on the Tracks of the Dan- 

ITES 292 

XXV. A New Use for a Baseball 304 

XXVI. Rob's Discovery of the Smoke Sig- 
nals 318 

XXVII. Coming Out of the Canon. Meet- 
ing of the Parties 330 

XXVIII. Again in the Colorado Desert. . . . 343 
XXIX. Mesa of Rob's Dream Revisited. 

Conclusion 356 


Appendices 


370 


The Jaws of D ea th 


CHAPTER I 

Robert Harold Gordon, Junior 

“ Are you medicine man ? ” 

“ Why do you ask? ” 

“ White man down there heap sick. Want medicine 
man quick ! ” 

It was an Apache Indian who asked the question 
and gave the information. The one to whom he spoke 
was a white man, whose only other companion was a 
cowboy. 

When the Indian, in reply to the white man’s ques- 
tion, said : 

“ White man down there heap sick,” etc., he pointed 
to a canon at the bottom of which, more than one thou- 
sand feet below the surface, could be seen the slender 
thread of a stream. The white man was Robert Har- 
old Gordon, Jr., father of our friend Robert, whose 
adventures we have followed in the two volumes of 
“ The Young Mineralogist ” — “ A Chip of the Old 
Block ” and “ The Land of Drought.” His companion 
was the cowboy to whom reference has also been made. 
This Gordon was the son of Robert Harold Gordon, 
Sr. The mysterious disappearances of both of these 
ii 


The Jaws of Death 

men have already been referred to in the Prologue to 
the first volume. 

The above incident, therefore, takes us back to the 
time when Robert Harold Gordon, Jr., while on a 
search for his father, had mysteriously disappeared. 

The cowboy who had heard the conversation be- 
tween the Indian and Gordon, turning to him, said : 

“ Ye’d better be careful. I don’t give a hang fer 
these Injuns. He may be laying a trap fer ye.” 

Gordon made no reply but, turning to the Indian, 
said : 

“ White medicine man would talk alone with his 
guide. He will be back in a few minutes. Wait 
here.” 

The Indian seemed satisfied with the arrangement, 
and said : 

“ Indian set no trap. Friend of white man,” and 
walked away as if to give the two men an opportunity 
to talk privately. 

“ Pete,” said Gordon to the cowboy guide, after 
going a short distance from the Indian, “ you know 
I came to this place in search of my father. As far 
as I can find out, he was last seen alive in this neigh- 
borhood. I shall go with the Indian. It may be 
that I can learn something that will help me. More- 
over, if there is a sick white man in the neighborhood, 
I may be able to do something for him. I cannot at 
least refuse to go to see him. We can leave our horses 
tethered. Come with me and keep a close watch 
on the Indian.” 


12 


The Jaws of Death 

“ All right,” was the reply. “ I’m with you. I’ll 
keep my eyes on the feller.” 

Gordon beckoned the Indian to come back to him. 
In the meanwhile Pete made arrangements for shack- 
ling the horses. 

Seeing what the cowboy was doing, the Indian said : * 

“ Lead horses this way. Indian show you better 
place not far from here to leave them.” 

“ What do you say ? ” inquired the cowboy of Gor- 
don. “ Shall I leave ’em here, or shall we see what 
kind of a place the Injun hez fer ’em? ” 

Before answering, Gordon, turning to the Indian, 
inquired : 

“ How far from here is the sick man ? ” 

“ Sick man in that direction,” the Indian replied, 
pointing to the northeast ; and then pointing to the sun, 
he added : “ If we walk quick will see him before sun 
half-down. 

“ About two hours off,” said Gordon. “ I guess 
we’ll go, Pete.” 

Bidding the Indian show them the way, the two 
men led their horses and followed him. 

From where they were standing, it did not seem as 
if there was any possible path down the almost pre- 
cipitous walls of the canon. The Indian, however, led 
them to a place that descended by a fairly steep slope 
of three or four hundred feet until it reached the 
part of the gorge where the walls formed an almost 
perpendicular descent to the stream below. Along this 
slope, a rough zigzag path had been cut in the rock 
13 


The Jaws of Death 

that the sure-footed horses had no difficulty in follow- 
ing. It was not a path that a tenderfoot would have 
cared to take in the absence of full daylight; for it 
was so narrow that a single misstep would have led to 
certain death on the rocks below. 

At first the Indian led the way slowly, but as soon 
as he saw that the men following him were used to 
such paths he quickened his pace, closely followed by 
his two companions. 

A rapid walk of about a quarter of an hour brought 
them to a place where the path led along another 
narrow ledge on top of a steep precipice that rose 
almost perpendicularly. This path was about two hun- 
dred feet below the top of the canon, and eight hun- 
dred feet above the stream. It was so narrow that, 
although they kept close to the perpendicular wall, they 
were almost on the edge of the precipice on the other 
side. This continued for about five minutes when the 
path suddenly stopped, blocked, it seemed, by a steep 
wall that rose directly in front. 

“ Reckon we kain’t go any further,” said the cow- 
boy to his companion. 

“ It looks so, Pete,” replied the other ; but the In- 
dian hearing the remark, replied : 

“ Follow Awake-in-the-Night. He find heap good 
place to leave horses.” 

The mention of leaving the horses on the narrow 
ledge on which they were then standing was too much 
for Pete, who expressed his opinion in language very 
unsuitable for polite company. The Indian took no 
14 


The Jaws of Death 

notice of what the man was saying, but merely re- 
marked : 

“ Follow Awake-in-the-Night. He show good place 
to leave horses,” and plunging apparently directly into 
the face of the precipice, his companions, who followed 
him, entered a cave, or more correctly a cliff house, 
that had been dug out of softer rock to a sufficient 
extent to form excellent quarters for horses. 

“ Heap good place to leave horses, medicine man ? ” 
inquired Awake-in-the-Night. 

“ It is a good place,” said Gordon. 

“ It be a bully place,” added Pete. 

Horses had evidently often been kept in the place. 
An abundance of excellent fodder had been suitably 
collected here, and rings provided so that they could 
readily be tied. The animals appeared satisfied with 
their quarters; for, after drinking at a rude water 
trough fashioned by hollowing out the log of a tree, 
they began eating the fodder prepared. The trough 
had been placed immediately below a crevice of the 
rock from which a slender stream of water was 
flowing. 

As soon as their horses had been secured and pro- 
vided for, Awake-in-the-Night remarked: 

“ Come quick ! White man very sick. Needs medi- 
cine man heap bad.” 

“ In what direction do we go ? ” inquired Gordon. 
“ Must we go back the way we came ? I don't see how 
we can go farther in this direction.” 

The Indian said nothing except to take the two men 
15 


The Jaws of Death 

by the hands, leading them a short distance into the 
cave. At first it was so dark that they could dis- 
tinguish nothing around them, but after proceeding a 
short distance a faint light was seen shining ahead. 

Quickly reaching the place they saw, cut in the wall 
of the precipice, a zigzag series of rough steps that 
after a toilsome climb led down to the bottom of the 
canon. Here they found a narrow but fairly comfort- 
able path by the side of the stream, over which they 
passed rapidly. 

“ Cap/’ said the cowboy to Gordon, “ this here 
would be an ornery place fer a feller to be caught in 
ef it should begin to rain hard.” 

“ Right you are, Pete,” was the reply. “ But we’ll 
keep on the outlook for that.” 

The Indian, who had heard their conversation, 
replied : 

“If rain comes, Awake-in-the-Night will show white 
men a path higher up where water cannot reach.” 

The two men silently followed their guide for about 
two hours. Shut up as they were in the narrow gorge, 
they could not see the position of the sun, but Gordon, 
who had spent many an hour in the canons in his geo- 
logical work, correctly estimated that they had still 
about two hours of sunlight. Turning to his com- 
panion, he said : 

“ According to what the Indian told us, we have 
been two hours on the go, Pete. Yes,” he added to 
himself, looking at his watch, “ that’s about what my 
watch says. We should be near the injured man.” 

16 


The Jaws of Death 

It was evident that but little the white man said was 
not understood by Awake-in-the-Night; for, as soon 
as Gordon had ceased speaking, he said: 

“ White medicine man right. See smoke,” and 
pointed up the canon. “ Sick man lying by fire. Hope 
he not dead yet.” 

Walking more rapidly they came in a few moments 
to the side of a fire that had been built on a level spot 
about fifty feet above the surface of the stream. Some 
one, presumably the Indian, had left additional fuel 
near it, that the sick man had evidently been unable 
to place on the fire, for it had nearly died down. Ly- 
ing near it, on a rude bed of leaves, was a man about 
forty years of age whose hair and beard were jet 
black. 

“ I reckon he be one of them Mormon fellers, cap,” 
said Pete. “ These be the chaps what come here from 
Salt Lake City, or some other Mormon town, and 
take up the best mineral lands thet kin be found. But 
I reckon this chap’s mineral lands won’t do him much 
good. He looks as ef he war about ready to take his 
last ride.” 

Without heeding his companion, Gordon approached 
the man, and kneeling down took his hand and began 
feeling his pulse. 

“ The man is badly injured,” said he to his com- 
panion. “ I fear he is dying now. He is unconscious, 
and his pulse is so feeble I can scarcely feel it.” 

“ I reckon ye’re right, cap. He looks as ef he whar 
a’most ready to hand in his chips,” said Pete. 

17 


B 


The Jaws of Death 

“ Hold up his head, Pete,” was the reply; “ Pll try 
to get a few drops of brandy down his throat. I hope 
it will revive him, if only for a sufficient time to tell 
us who he is and whether there is anything we can 
do for him.” 

It was not until brandy had been given at short 
intervals that the man opened his eyes and said in 
a faint voice : 

“ How long — have I to live, stranger ? — Don’t hesi- 
tate to tell me — I am not afraid to die.” 

Gordon, who had considerable knowledge of medi- 
cine for one outside the profession, had already care- 
fully noted that the man was much bruised and had 
evidently had a severe fall. Moreover, he was ap- 
parently unable to move either legs or arms. The 
chances, therefore, were that he had been paralyzed, 
and that most probably a serious injury had happened 
to the spinal column. 

“ You are badly hurt,” replied Gordon, “ but don’t 
think about dying. I may be able to be of much help 
to you.” 

“ I know I can’t live,” said the man in a weak voice. 
“ But tell me — can you keep me — alive for half an 
hour? ” 

“ I think I can promise that,” was the reply. 

On hearing this the injured man said : 

“ Ask your guide and — the Indian to leave us. I 
have something — I wish to tell you — privately.” 

The Indian made no objections to the man’s re- 
quest, but moved off of his own accord to such a dis- 
18 


The Jaws of Death 

tance that he could not possibly overhear what was 
said. Neither for that matter did the cowboy object, 
for, silently, he too followed the Indian. 

As soon as they were alone, Gordon gave the in- 
jured man another swallow of brandy, when he said : 

“ I’ve much — to tell you. Swear — you will keep 
secret what I say, and will — do what I ask.” 

“ If I can honorably keep silent, I promise to do so,” 
replied Gordon. “ If what you wish me to do is what 
I can do without breaking the law, I promise to do it 
for you.” 

“ That’s all — I ask,” said the man. 

Apparently satisfied by the conditional promise, the 
dying man now made a supreme effort to tell his 
story. After a few moments, during which he looked 
earnestly into Gordon’s face as if to read the char- 
acter of the man, he inquired : 

“ Do you know — anything — about geology and 
mineralogy? ” 

“I ama professional geologist and mineralogist,” 
was the reply. 

“ Thank God for that,” was the reply. “ I wish to 
tell you,” he said in a weak, faltering voice, every now 
and then dropping a word or two or making a slight 
pause, “ of a wonderfully rich quartz vein — free-mill- 
ing gold — not far from here. Promise me — if I tell 
you where to find it — you will file claims — United 
States — in name of Robert Harold Gordon, Sr.” 

“ What name did you say?” inquired Gordon in 
surprise. 


19 


The Jaws of Death 

“ Robert Harold Gordon, Sr. — he is its true dis- 
coverer — at least after the ancient — cliff-dwellers who 
had — begun to mine it. It was he who first definitely 
traced the vein — and told me about it. I promised to 
have claims made out for it in his name.” 

“ Who is this Robert Harold Gordon, Sr. ? ” in- 
quired Gordon anxiously. “ Why don’t he file claims 
for himself? Is he still living? ” 

“ One question — at a time,” was the reply. “ I don’t 
know — how to answer — first question — is he still liv- 
ing?” 

“ That should be a simple enough question,” re- 
plied Gordon. “ The man must be either living or 
dead.” 

“ I’m not — sure of that,” said the sick man faintly. 
“ In one sense — Robert Harold Gordon is dead. In 
another sense — he is living.” 

“ What do you mean? ” inquired Gordon anxiously. 

“ I mean — he is dead as far as — knowledge of him- 
self is concerned. He no more knows — his name or — 
where he came from — than he would if he had been 
dead a thousand years. In that sense he is dead. But 
in another sense — he is fully alive.” 

“What is it he . remembers ? ” inquired Gordon. 
“ In what sense does he still live ? ” 

“ He was — or — rather is — like yourself a geologist 
— and mineralogist. He remembers everything — 
about his profession as well as ever. Can trace — di- 
rection of veins — tell the names of minerals, make 
plans for underground leads — and superintend the 
20 





“ Gordon took a sealed letter from the 
pocket referred to ” Page 21 



I 


The Jaws of Death 

working of a mine as well — as any man now living. 
In everything else — he is practically dead.” 

While speaking, the dying man, who had been 
closely examining Gordon’s features, said: 

“ Stranger, excuse me, but that man — Robert Har- 
old Gordon, Sr., looks — like you — enough to be your 
father.” 

“ He is my father,” was the reply. “ It was in an 
endeavor to find him, if living, that I have come to 
this part of the country.” 

“ Again I say — God be thanked,” replied the man. 
“ I am now sure — you will — do all you can — file claims 
on this quartz vein.” 

“ I will,” was the reply. “ Now tell me all about 
the man and the vein.” 

“ First — about the vein,” said the man in a still 
weaker voice. “ Put your hand — pocket — of my coat. 
No — other pocket.” 

Gordon took a sealed letter from the pocket referred 
to. 

“ Is this the one? ” he inquired. 

“ Yes,” replied the man ; “ it gives — full — descrip- 
tion — of vein. Where it is — and what has been done 
with it ” 

“ But tell me,” inquired Gordon anxiously, “ where 
is Robert Harold Gordon, Sr. ? ” 

“ Have you — ever heard of — the Mesa Verde? ” in- 
quired the man. 

“ Yes; I know where it is,” was the reply. 

“ Your father is now — in a large cliff village on 
21 


The Jaws of Death 

wall of canon on — one of the tributary streams of the 
— Rio Mancos — far above where it empties into the — 
San Juan River.” 

“ Is he alone? ” 

“No,” was the reply; “there are a number of — 
Danites and Indians with him.” 

“Has he been there long?” inquired Gordon. 

“ Off and on — in different parts — of the Colorado 
River — and its tributaries — for about five years — not 
always in same place. Although he has lost his rea- 
son — he still retains his knowledge of geology — is so 
great a geologist and mineralogist that he is held in 
great esteem. He is now in the power of the — Danites 
and some Indians. If you see him — be careful — I am 
sure they will not let him — go with you.” 

The dying man’s voice was growing very feeble. 
Had it not been for an occasional swallow of brandy 
he would have been unable to finish what he was say- 
ing. Gordon succeeded, however, in obtaining some 
additional information from the sick man that he was 
a Mormon; that his name was Ephraim Smith; that 
he had fallen out with the leaders because he had 
refused to reveal the position of the gold vein; that 
it was during an escape he had made, because they 
were endeavoring to extort this knowledge from him 
by torture, that he had met with an accident due to a 
fall that had left him in the dying condition in which 
Gordon had found him. 

“ Tell me,” said Gordon, leaning down and talking 
directly into the man’s ear, “ how can I find my father, 
22 


The Jaws of Death 

and can I trust to the honesty of Awake-in-the- 
Night? ” 

“ Awake-in-the-Night — will show you the way.” 

“ Can I trust in his honesty? ” 

“You can trust him,” was the reply; “but ” 

and then before he could complete what he was about 
to say the man died. 

Beckoning to the cowboy and the Indian these two 
came forward, when Awake-in-the-Night said : 

“ Man dead ? White medicine man came too late to 
cure ? ” 

“ Yes, the man is dead,” was the reply. “ I got here 
too late to cure him.” 


23 


CHAPTER II 


Robert Harold Gordon, Senior 

“ You ask me to undertake a new piece of work before 
I have finished that on which I am already engaged.” 

“ Well, suppose I do; what is that to a brainy 
mining engineer and geologist like you ? ” 

The voice of the first speaker had a querulous tone. 
It came from a man of about sixty-five, with snow- 
white hair and beard, and to all appearances in ex- 
cellent health. But there was a look about his eyes 
that would have led a close observer to believe he was 
not entirely in his right mind. Not that such an idea 
could possibly have been based on the remarks he had 
just made. As long as he was talking about mining, 
geology, and mineralogy, he spoke with rare intelli- 
gence; but change the subject to anything else and he 
was unable to speak connectedly, but employed a jum- 
ble of words that meant nothing. When, therefore, as 
in this case, the man who had been speaking remarked : 

“ Well, suppose I do; what is that to a brainy mi- 
ning engineer and geologist like you,” he smiled and 
said: 

“ That’s true ; but don’t forget I have not completed 
the work at which I am now engaged. It has already 
taken me two months. I shall need at least three 
months more to complete it. If I leave it now and take 
24 


The Jaws of Death 

up new work, it would take me a long time before I 
could intelligently go on with what I am now at. 
Give me time to finish it, and then I’ll be ready for 
any other work you may have for me.” 

“ Agreed,” replied the man. “ I’ll give you all the 
extra time you need.” 

The first speaker was Robert Harold Gordon, Sr. 
The man to whom he had been talking was Joseph 
Smith, a Danite or Mormon, a descendant of the great 
Joseph Smith, the founder of the Mormon Church. 
This descendant of the early Smith had left Salt Lake 
City many years before, and had traveled over Utah, 
Nevada, Colorado, Arizona, New Mexico, and Cali- 
fornia in company with a band of Danites, of whom 
he was leader. He had taken up a number of valuable 
mining claims in these regions, and had enrolled a 
number of Apache Indians in his company. 

Joseph Smith had formed a plan for building, in 
northeastern New Mexico, a Mormon temple that 
would rival in size and beauty the great temple in Salt 
Lake City. For this he needed a large sum of money. 
This he had been slowly accumulating by means of 
valuable gold and silver properties he had taken up 
under the mining laws of the United States. 

As is well known, the Mormons are extremely jeal- 
ous of prospectors, geologists, and mineralogists, 
whom they regard as their rivals in prospecting and 
mining. They look on the mineral lands of the great 
southwestern part of the United States as their own; 
they therefore consider all “ Gentiles,” as they call 
25 


The Jaws of Death 

those outside, as intruders, or, indeed, even as thieves, 
and use every method known to drive them out of the 
country, and especially from the neighborhood of the 
rich mineral lands. When peaceful means fail, they do 
not hesitate to murder the intruders, either themselves 
or through the Apaches, or other Indian tribes, with 
whom they keep on good terms. Many a prospector 
from the East or the middle West, who has mysteri- 
ously disappeared in this section of country, has in all 
probability been murdered by the Danites, bands of 
Mormons known as “ The Destroying Angels.” 

It was about six years before the opening of this 
volume that Robert Harold Gordon, Sr., had disap- 
peared as far as could be learned, in the very section 
in which Robert Harold Gordon, Jr., and his cowboy 
guide had been met by Awake-in-the-Night and con- 
ducted to the dying Mormon. The elder Gordon was 
then hot on the track of a great gold mine, of which 
various rumors had been circulated by both Mormons 
and Gentiles. This mine, it was said, had been opened 
up many generations before by some of the cliff- 
dwellers. But up to this time no one had been able 
to relocate it, although many had made an almost con- 
tinual search for it. 

The Mormons had already located a number of ex- 
cellent mineral claims in this part of the country. 
When they heard, therefore, through their scouts, that 
a prospector, accompanied by a Chinese cook and an 
Indian, were engaged in examining the land in this 
district, orders were given to stop it at any risk. 

26 


The Jaws of Death 

In obedience to these orders, the three men were 
suddenly attacked and Gordon’s Indian guide was 
killed. The Chinese cook surrendered unconditionally 
and, a cook being needed at that time by the Mormons, 
his life was spared and he was taken into their employ. 

The intention had been to kill Robert Harold Gor- 
don, Sr. Indeed, he had been given so severe a blow 
on the head that he was believed to be dead, and an 
Indian, Awake-in-the-Night, was ordered to bury him. 
He was still alive, however, and hovered between life 
and death for several weeks. He was carefully at- 
tended during all this time by the Indian who remem- 
bered him as the white man who, several years before, 
had saved his life by killing a mountain lion when it 
was about to spring upon him, in the great Colorado 
Desert. 

When the Mormons learned that the geologist still 
lived, it was determined by their leader to kill him, 
but the Indian pleaded for his life, explaining that the 
man had entirely lost his mind, and remembered noth- 
ing whatever concerning his past life. He was, there- 
fore, permitted to live and assigned some menial work. 

It is a curious fact that uncivilized races do not look 
on imbeciles in the unfavorable light in which they 
are regarded by civilized man. On the contrary, they 
often credit them with a higher intelligence than that 
of more vigorous minds. This was the case with 
Awake-in-the-Night. It was, perhaps, mainly for this 
reason, although to some extent because of the service 
Gordon had rendered him in the past, that the Indian 
27 


The Jaws of Death 

gladly undertook the general care of the man and 
spent much of his time with him, not only while en- 
gaged in tasks that had been jointly assigned them, but 
also when permitting the man to accompany him on 
horseback to different parts of the great Mesa Verde. 
It was in this mesa, in a cliff village, situated in a deep 
canon in the southwestern part, that the Mormons 
lived while in this part of the country. During Gor- 
don’s captivity, therefore, the two men were together 
a great part of the time. The particular cliff house 
in which the Danites occasionally lived contained a 
great estufa, or room, in which they assembled while 
resting or smoking. When they had satisfied them- 
selves that the geologist had lost all reasoning powers, 
and did not even remember his own name, no objec- 
tion was made to his freely wandering almost any- 
where with Awake-in-the-Night. 

One day, while riding with Awake-in-the-Night 
over a portion of the mesa situated many miles from 
the main cliff house, Gordon suddenly became inter- 
ested in something he saw in the ground. Dismount- 
ing from his horse he began carefully examining and 
tracing the outcroppings of a great fissure vein. 
While doing this, to his great surprise Awake-in-the- 
Night heard him talking intelligently, although to 
himself rather than to any one else. As this had never 
before occurred since his injury, Awake-in-the-Night 
listened carefully. 

“ It is a true fissure vein,” said Gordon ; “ fully fifty 
feet in width. Unless I am greatly mistaken, it con- 
28 


The Jaws of Death 

tains large quantities of free-milling gold, for I can 
see small particles of it here.” And then turning to 
the Indian he said : “ Awake-in-the-Night, let us hurry 
back to the estufa. I wish to get my magnifying- 
glass, hammer and chisel, notebook and gold pan. 
See, I have found a gold-bearing fissure vein.” 

Greatly pleased at the wonderful change in the 
man’s mind, the Indian said : 

“ Awake-in-the-Night will go back with you and get 
what you ask for.” 

“ I shall have to remain here for several days,” said 
Gordon, “ so get all that will be needed if we stay 
away for that time.” 

As Awake-in-the-Night was getting ready to go 
back with him to the estufa, Gordon said : 

“ Wait a few minutes longer until I get specimens 
of the free-milling gold quartz.” 

This was finally done, and the two men hurried back 
to the estufa. 

When Joseph Smith, the leader of the Danites, and 
his companions heard of the wonderful change that 
had come over Gordon, and saw the fragment of the 
vein-matter Gordon had brought with him, they were 
greatly interested. It surprised them to be assured 
that Gordon had regained his mind, at least so far as to 
be able to recognize a fissure vein. 

At first Smith was doubtful, thinking the Indian 
had made a mistake, but after conversing with Gordon 
and hearing him speak in a most intelligent way con- 
cerning what he had found, and give his reasons for 
29 


The Jaws of Death 

his belief in its being a true fissure vein, he became 
greatly interested. Getting all the things Gordon had 
asked for, he, with several of his Mormon companions, 
went with him and the Indian in order to inspect the 
new find. 

Though neither a geologist nor mineralogist, Smith 
knew enough of mining to feel assured that the newly 
discovered vein would probably prove of great value, 
especially when Gordon had hurriedly accompanied 
him on horseback along its outcrop for several miles 
and assured him that, considering the nature of the 
country beyond, the vein probably continued very much 
farther. 

Turning to his Mormon companions, Smith re- 
marked : 

“ We will stake out claims on the vein and file them 
in the United States office. Before doing this we must 
get a competent mining engineer and geologist to lay 
out these claims, examine the vein, and ascertain how 
far across the country it actually extends, not only in 
the direction in which we have already followed it, but 
also in the opposite direction.” 

Gordon, who had heard the conversation, turning to 
Smith, said: 

“ I am a mining engineer and geologist. I’ll trace 
the outcrop across the country and lay out claims for 
you.” 

Without replying directly to Gordon’s remark, Jo- 
seph Smith turned to his companions and said in a low 
voice he believed Gordon would not be able to hear : 

30 


The Jaws of Death 

“ I know the man has done excellent work of this 
character. Indeed, I have heard that there are few, if 
any, mining engineers in the country who equal him 
in his profession. But he has been almost an imbecile 
for so long that I fear he may at any time again com- 
pletely lose his mind.” 

But low as the voice of Smith and his companions 
had been during the conversation, Gordon had heard 
them. Apparently he failed to understand anything 
except that part relating to geology and mining. Ask- 
ing Smith and his companions to follow him, he again 
began pointing out the peculiarities of the vein. More- 
over, before long he had made another discovery, for, 
going at some distance to the left of the vein he first 
discovered, he remarked : 

“ Here is another vein running parallel to the first.” 

He then insisted on the men following him along 
the new vein, and although its indications were not 
so clearly marked as in the one first discovered, still, 
when intelligently pointed out by Gordon, there could 
be no doubt about the correctness of the second find. 

“ The man has thoroughly recovered his mind,” 
Smith said, turning to his companions, “ so far as his 
old profession is concerned, although it would seem 
that otherwise it is still a complete blank.” 

“ If he has regained his knowledge of mining, ge- 
ology, and mineralogy, could he not be of great serv- 
ice to us ? ” remarked one. 

“ He could,” said another. “ The fact that his mind 
is a blank concerning all the rest of hrs life is far from 
3i 


The Jaws of Death 

being a disadvantage to us, since we can safely employ 
him for this work.” 

“ Right you are,” said Smith ; “ we will keep the 
man for this work hereafter. The only danger is that 
when he is taken from one of our properties to another 
he may be seen and recognized by some of his old 
friends.” 

“ I reckon,” said another Mormon, who had not 
yet spoken, and who from his speech was evidently 
Eastern born, “ there beant no resk in thet. As ye 
know, the trails in this country air but few ; at least the 
trails thet be known to the Gentiles. But thar be a 
plenty of trails thet could be taken in going from mine 
to mine without the resk of coming across people what 
knew the man. Besides,” he added, “ sense the light 
went out of his mind, with the blow on his head, he 
looks different from what I remember him when he 
fust come here.” 

The plan of employing Gordon as their mining engi- 
neer was adopted. The work he did for them was of 
the highest type. Never before had such work been 
done so thoroughly. From that time on, therefore, 
Gordon was practically given full liberty, although 
Awake-in-the-Night was directed always to be with 
him. Under these circumstances the two men being 
together so much of their time became sincerely at- 
tached to each other. 

It was no hardship for Gordon to remain away from 
his people. To him these people no longer had any 
existence. They never entered into his mind. More- 
32 


The Jaws of Death 

over, the work in which he was now engaged was 
work he had done for a large portion of his life. He 
was therefore happy, and instead of becoming physic- 
ally weaker, increased in health until he was in much 
better physical condition than when he had met with his 
injuries. In this way more than five years had passed, 
during nearly all of which time Awake-in-the-Night 
remained his friend and caretaker. 

The confidence of the Mormons in Gordon at last 
became so great that he was sent from mine to mine 
in different parts of the great Southwest, sometimes 
in company with Awake-in-the-Night, and sometimes 
with some of the others. About this time, Mr. Chris- 
tian, Professor Engleman, together with Robert Har- 
old Gordon, 3rd, and his boy friends were about leav- 
ing El Paso for the Colorado Desert. The Danites 
had located an unusually rich mine in this desert. The 
mine was the one referred to in the second volume as 
the “ Pegleg Smith Lost Gold Mine/’ and the elder 
Gordon had been sent to examine it. 

It remains now to be explained how it was that 
Awake-in-the-Night was with the party of Christian 
and Engleman. As will be seen in tiie next chapter, 
Robert Gordon, Jr., had gone with Pete to meet his 
father, and during this time both men had been taken 
captives by the Danites. 

Some time after the capture of Robert Harold Gor- 
don, Jr., and Pete, Smith and his people had received 
reports from their spies that Christian and Engleman, 
c 33 


The Jaws of Death 

two noted geologists and mining engineers, were on 
their way to make an examination of a number of 
mining properties in that portion of the great Colorado 
Desert that was near the Pegleg Smith Mine. The 
Mormons had acquired such confidence in Gordon se- 
nior, that Awake-in-the-Night was not with him so 
much as formerly, and he was permitted to be away 
for fairly long periods in order to visit his tribe, as 
well as to pick up what money he could in guiding 
parties through the regions ; for, as already mentioned, 
Awake-in-the-Night was better acquainted with the 
district, especially the deep canons in the upper tribu- 
taries of the Colorado, than any other living man. 

Awake-in-the-Night was a confirmed gambler, and 
enjoyed his game of draw poker probably as much as 
any of the degraded white people. Nor was the game 
unknown to the Danites. They were, therefore, will- 
ing that the Indian should go away even for long 
periods, for when he came back he generally had a 
considerable supply of money which was soon trans- 
ferred to their pockets. 

There was another reason for their willingness to 
let Awake-in-the-Night go. During his expeditions to 
different parts of the territory, he sent them consider- 
able information concerning the movements of mining 
engineers, geologists, and prospectors. Indeed, it was 
Awake-in-the-Night who had furnished them with 
most of the information concerning the movements 
of Christian and Engleman. They were, therefore, 
pleased to learn that he had already engaged himself 
34 


The Jaws of Death 

to this party to look after their horses and to aid them 
generally. 

Colorado Bill, as has been related in “ The Land of 
Drought,” was acquainted with Awake-in-the-Night, 
and suspected that he was in some way or other con- 
nected with certain Mormons or Danites who held 
valuable mining claims in the district. He did not, 
however, know that Robert Harold Gordon, Sr., or his 
son, Robert Harold Gordon, Jr., was with them. 

As related in the preceding volume, Awake-in-the- 
Night had become greatly attached to both the grand- 
son, Robert, as well as to Happy, and at last deter- 
mined to acquaint the lad, Robert, as to the where- 
abouts of both his grandfather and father ; and this, as 
we have seen, he has already done. 

Joseph Smith had a twin brother named Ephraim 
Smith. This was the man whose tragic death has been 
referred to in the previous chapter. Although broth- 
ers, Ephraim and Joseph had never lived peaceably 
together. Each was intensely jealous of the other. 
Ephraim, like his brother, also wished to give his 
name to a new Mormon temple. He did not at all relish 
being hid in the shadow of his brother’s greatness. 
One day, therefore, when Gordon at last discovered in 
a canon the rich free-milling gold vein for which he 
had so long been looking, Ephraim and Awake-in-the- 
Night were the only men to whom he told of the dis- 
covery and its location. Awake-in-the-Night was wary 
enough to deny all knowledge either of its existence or 
location. As for Ephraim Smith, he gloried in the 
35 


The Jaws of Death 

fact that his brother Joseph was ignorant of its loca- 
tion, and flatly refused to give him any information 
whatever concerning it. 

Again and again did Joseph endeavor to force his 
brother to reveal the location of the vein. Again and 
again did he endeavor to obtain this information from 
Awake-in-the-Night, but that wary old fellow always 
claimed he knew nothing. Again and again did Joseph 
Smith endeavor to obtain the information from Gor- 
don, but, curiously enough, on this matter Gordon’s 
mind refused to act. He apparently was unable to dis- 
tinguish this vein from others; so that, angered at 
being baffled in his endeavors to force his brother to 
divulge the secret, Joseph Smith put him to torture in 
order to compel him to give him the much-desired in- 
formation. 

It was during this torture that Ephraim Smith, liber- 
ated by Awake-in-the-Night without the knowledge of 
Joseph Smith, escaped. Joseph Smith and his follow- 
ers nearly recaptured Ephraim, but under the guidance 
of Awake-in-the-Night he succeeded in escaping. Dur- 
ing this escape, however, he accidentally fell from the 
wall of a precipice, suffering injuries from which, as 
we have seen, he died. It was at this time that Awake- 
in-the-Night had brought Robert Harold Gordon, Jr., 
to the injured man in time to witness his death and to 
receive from him the assurance that his father was 
still living and had succeeded in locating the long- 
sought-for mine of free-milling gold. 


36 


CHAPTER III 


Gordon and Pete Taken Captives by the Danites 

But let us now return to Robert Harold Gordon, 
Jr., and his cowboy Pete, together with the Indian, 
Awake-in-the-Night. It was about two hours from 
sundown when the white man had died. They there- 
fore determined to leave his body until the next morn- 
ing when it was buried, Gordon reading the Episcopal 
burial service. 

It was indeed astonishing news Robert Gordon, Jr., 
had just heard from the dying man. The sealed packet, 
he was assured, described the location and particulars 
of the free-milling gold quartz vein in the canon he 
had so long been trying to locate. But what most as- 
tounded and delighted him was the request that he 
should enter mining claims for the quartz vein in the 
name of his father, who, he had been assured, was liv- 
ing and in the neighborhood, and that Awake-in-the- 
Night could show him where. 

Anxious to see his father, Gordon took the first op- 
portunity to inform the Indian what the dying man 
had told him, although he said nothing about the gold 
vein. 

“ Awake-in-the-Night,” he said, “ the man who has 
just died told me that the white man at the Mesa 
37 


The Jaws of Death 

Verde, you are so much with, is my father; that you 
could take me to see him if you would. Will you do 
this for me ? ” 

Awake-in-the-Night was greatly surprised; and not 
only surprised, but also troubled. Concealing his feel- 
ings, he replied: 

“ Awake-in-the-Night glad your father is living. 
Will take you soon to see him. But must first go and 
see about the horses. Mesa Verde over there,” he 
added, pointing in a direction opposite to that in which 
they had left the horses. “ Will be back soon.” He 
then went rapidly away. 

“ Pete,” called Gordon to the cowboy, “ Awake-in- 
the-Night has gone to see about the horses; come and 
help me watch the body of the dead man. I was told 
some very astonishing things by the dying man. One 
of these I can tell you.” 

“ All right,” replied Pete. “ Tell me all ye wish 
to and keep the rest private like. I kin onderstand thet 
the dying man may hev told ye about things ye’d rather 
keep to yerself.” 

“ He told me my father is living, Pete; and Awake- 
in-the-Night promises to take me to see him.” 

“ Shake,” said Pete, greatly delighted at the won- 
derful news. “ This be great news. Whar be yer dad 
now ? ” 

“ In the Mesa Verde. You know the place, don’t 
you ? ” 

“ Know the Mesa Verde?” was the reply; “ I do 
fer sure. It be the most beautiful and the most ornery 
38 


The Jaws of Death 

place in these here diggings. It be what you Eastern 
folks would call awful pretty. I am not denying thet 
as fer as its rocks, waters, and gulches are consarned, it 
makes suthen to look at what be hard to beat. But 
thar be nothing pretty about the people what live thar. 
It hez a mixture of Mormons, Danites, Navajo, and 
Apache Indians thet make it the wust place you kin 
imagine. Ef ye hev made up yer mind to go thar to 
see yer father, ye must do it with yer eyes open and 
yer hand on yer gun. Ye will hev a good chance of 
disappearing thar as yer father hez done. How long 
hez it been sense he wuz last heard from? ” 

“ About five years,” was the reply. 

“ What wuz it thet hez shut his mouth all this time ? 
Why hezn’t he hollered out whar he be so thet his 
friends kin come and pay him a visit like ? ” 

“ I was told that my father has forgotten everything 
except geology and mining. Ell tell you the story of his 
disappearing, so far as it has been known to his Eastern 
friends. I have never told you about it, have I ? ” 

“ Nary a word except thet the old man disappeared 
suddent like about five years ago from some place near 
whar we now be.” 

“ Listen then,” continued Gordon. “ As far as I 
know, the last white man who saw my father alive was 
a mining engineer named John Christian. This man 
camped with my father on the nigf^it before he disap- 
peared. My father had with him anTndian guide and 
a Chinese cook. Christian recognized the guide as a 
dangerous man, who was believed, several years before, 
39 


The Jaws of Death 

to have murdered a white man whom he had been 
guiding, and cautioned him to keep on the lookout. 
Father thanked his friend for the warning and prom- 
ised to be cautious. ” 

“ A feller is generally on the safe side ef he looks 
out fer every Injun,” remarked Pete. 

“ That appears to have been the belief of Mr. Chris- 
tian,” replied Gordon. “ Indeed, I am told that almost 
the last thing he said to my father, when leaving the 
next morning, was to caution him again not to put any 
trust in his Indian guide. Now, as far as I have been 
able to find out, my father has never been seen by his 
white friends since leaving Christian that morning 
so many years ago.” 

“ Did Smith tell ye what happened to your father’s 
party, and how it was he disappeared ? ” 

“ He did,” was the reply. “ As you know, the Mor- 
mons are very jealous of the people they call Gentiles, 
especially when taking up mineral lands in this region. 

“ A society of Mormons known as the Danites, or 
Avenging Angels, commanded by a Joseph Smith, a 
brother of the Ephraim Smith whose body is here 
awaiting burial, had been watching and following my 
father’s party closely and concluded from their actions 
that they were searching for mineral lands in the im- 
mediate neighborhood of a number of valuable proper- 
ties they themselves had recently discovered, but which 
were not yet secured by claims.” 

“ I hev heerd of them Danites or Avenging Angels, 
cap,” interposed Pete. “ They orter be called mur- 
40 


The Jaws of Death 

dering devils. The Mormons may be bad, but the 
common ones are decent fellers when sized up along- 
side the Danites. I hev heerd say thet thar be no 
Danites now, but I know better. They keep themselves 
more scarce like, but they air still in these parts and 
be even wuss than they wuz long ago.” 

“ Doubtless you are right, Pete,” said Gordon. “ It 
was these people who determined to drive my father 
away by fair means, and if not to get rid of him by 
murder.” 

“ If they did murder, it would not be fer the fust 
time,” remarked Pete. “ A great many years ago 
thet’s the way they alius fixed fellers what come into 
the country, killin’ them open like. Now thet Uncle 
Sam knows more about ’em, they are more keerful the 
way they act. They git those varmints, the Injuns, to 
do the killin’ fer ’em. Wall,” continued Pete, “ did 
they kill off all the party except the old man ? ” 

“ No,” was the reply; “ only the Indian. They 
spared the life of the Chinese cook. They had intended 
to murder father also, and struck him so severe a blow 
on his head with a stock of a gun that they believed 
him to be dead, and ordered the Indian, Awake-in-the- 
Night, to bury him. Father was not dead, but hovered 
for several days between life and death.” 

“ But why did not Awake-in-the-Night give yer dad 
another knock in the head and save trouble like ? ” in- 
quired Pete. 

“ It appears that several years ago,” said Gordon, 
father had saved the Indian from a mountain lion 
4i 


The Jaws of Death 

that was about to spring upon him. The man had 
sworn by his gods that if he should ever have the op- 
portunity he would repay the white man for his kind- 
ness. He recognized my father as the man who had 
saved his life. Unknown to the Danites, he tenderly 
nursed him and brought him back to life.” 

“ Is the old man still loose in his mind ? ” inquired 
Pete. 

“ That is the most wonderful part of the story, 
Pete,” replied Gordon. “ For a long time my father’s 
memory was completely gone. He did not even know 
his own name. He had forgotten all about his peo- 
ple. He could not even speak connectedly, so that the 
Indian believed there would be no danger in permitting 
him to live. He was especially willing to do this, be- 
cause one day father surprised him by discovering a 
valuable gold quartz vein, and began talking very in- 
telligently about it.” 

“ I say,” exclaimed Pete, “ thet beats eny yarn I 
hev ever heerd. It seems sorter improbable like thet 
a bright feller, like the old man, should fergit such 
things as his own name and the names of his old 
woman and kids, and yit hold on to them awful hard 
names wot geologists and mining-engineer fellers use.” 

“ It does seem improbable, Pete,” replied Gordon ; 
“ yet Ephraim Smith assured me of the truth of what 
he told me.” 

“ And do I onderstand ye to tell me thet it be only 
on sich subjects as mines and minerals thet he kin talk 
continuous like? ” 


42 


I he Jaws of Death 

“ That is right. Ephraim assured me that as far 
as all that pertains to his lifework is concerned his 
memory is excellent, but that on every other subject it 
is a blank. I understand that for many years the 
Mormons have been employing father as their mining 
engineer; that he has examined numerous properties 
for them, planned the underground work, and superin- 
tended mining operations.” 

“ Thet story ye are tellin’ beats all creation,” re- 
marked Pete. “ Ef any feller wrote it down in a 
book people would call him a tarnation liar.” 

“ That is very probable,” replied Gordon. “ At 
least,” he added, “ if the Mormon’s yarn is correct.” 
This latter, however, he only thought. He did not 
speak it aloud. 

The above information so stunned Pete as to close 
his mouth for a while, but at length he said : 

“ I don’t need ask ye ef ye be goin’ to the Mesa 
Verde to see yer father.” 

“ Of course I shall go there with Awake-in-the- 
Night. Would you not do so were you in my place? ” 

“ I’d go fer sartin,” replied Pete; “ and yet I’m free 
to say I’d be mighty keerful just how I’d go. I reckon 
I’d not go bold like, but more like laying around as it 
were.” 

“ Then you do not trust Awake-in-the-Night? ” 

“ I don’t trust any Injun what lives. I hev seed 
a-many of them, but hev never seen one I could trust 
straight through.” 

The two men remained talking until the return of 
43 


The Jaws of Death 

Awake-in-the-Night, to report in regard to the horses. 
After he had done this he said : 

“ Awake-in-the-Night has something to say to white 
medicine man.” 

“ Shall I go away ? ” inquired Pete of his companion. 

Without waiting for Gordon to answer, Awake-in- 
the-Night said : 

“ No, stay here. Awake-in-the-Night speak to both 
of you.” 

“ Trot on then,” said Pete. “ Pm listening.” 

Without paying any attention to Pete, the Indian 
turned to Gordon and said : 

“ Does white medicine man wish Awake-in-the- 
Night to speak to him? ” 

“ Yes, tell me what you have to say,” replied Gor- 
don. 

“ It is this : the man you wish to see is a great friend 
of Awake-in-the-Night. When you said you are his 
son, Awake-in-the-Night heap worried. He make up 
his mind to say now to you and the other man, it is 
not safe to go to the Mesa Verde where your father 
is. Many bad men and bad Indians there. Maybe 
kill you. Maybe keep you prisoners. Yet, of course, 
you must see your father. Is Indian right? ” 

“ You are right,” was the reply. “ I am determined 
to see my father. I have come many thousands of 
miles from the East to find him.” Then fearing the 
Indian might not understand him, he added : “ I have 
traveled for many, many moons. I have come here 
to try to find my father, and now I know where he is 
44 


The Jaws of Death 

I will certainly try to see him, no matter what I may 
risk in doing so.” 

“ Bully for you! ” said Pete. “ That’s the way to 
talk. I’ll go along and back ye up.” 

A long conversation then occurred between the In- 
dian and the white men, the Indian explaining that 
the prisoner was now given considerable liberty, and 
frequently left the cliffhouse where the Danites and 
their company spent most of their time, in excursions 
to different parts of the territory in company with 
Awake-in-the-Night or some other of the party. It 
was finally agreed that Awake-in-the-Night should re- 
turn to the Danites and wait there until an opportunity 
permitted him to bring Gordon’s father back with 
him. He promised to do this and return to them as 
soon as possible. 

“What shall we do in the meanwhile?” inquired 
Gordon. 

“ Stay around here until Awake-in-the-Night re- 
turns. He will come back as soon as he can. Maybe in 
two days. Maybe in a week.” 

“ What do you say, Pete ? ” inquired Gordon. 

“ I reckon we’ll hev to wait,” was the reply. “ The 
plan this Injun hez laid seems sensible like. I kain’t 
think of a better one.” 

The plan was agreed on; the Indian left, and the 
men patiently waited his return. 

Without going into a full description of what hap- 
pened, it may be said that the two men waited for a 
45 


The Jaws of Death 

full week. During this time Gordon carefully read the 
sealed letter he had obtained from Ephraim Smith’s 
pocket, and memorized what it contained, and then 
without saying anything to Pete burned it in the camp- 
fire. 

When the Indian returned he was accompanied by a 
man with snow-white hair and beard. It was Gordon’s 
father. 

Five years and the hardships he had undergone had 
greatly altered his appearance, and the vacant look of 
his eyes had changed him still more, but his son in- 
stantly recognized him. 

“ Father!” cried Gordon, falling on his neck and 
kissing him, “ do you not recognize me ? I am your 
son Robert. Your name is Robert Harold Gordon. 
Don’t you remember me? Your wife, my mother, is 
still living. So is my wife, and your grandson, Robert 
Harold Gordon 3rd, a splendid lad.” The son hoped 
that this mention of the absent ones would awake his 
memory. 

But to his great anguish his father completely failed 
to recognize him. He seemed surprised that a stranger 
should treat him in such a familiar way. He then be- 
gan to speak an unintelligible jargon of words that 
showed he had completely lost all memory of himself, 
of his people, or of the meaning of the words, except as 
they related to the subject of his life work. 

Seeing how the father’s condition troubled his son, 
Awake-in-the-Night said : 

“ Talk to your father about mines or minerals.” 

46 


The Jaws of Death 

As soon as this was done the old man entered into 
an intelligent conversation, speaking about the work 
he had done in that line, without, however, the slightest 
recognition of the one he was talking to. 

“ I will endeavor to persuade my father to go back 
to the East with me,” said Gordon to himself. “ I feel 
sure that once he is back among the old familiar scenes 
and surrounded by the dear home faces he will re- 
cover. Will you not go home with me, father ?” he 
added aloud. “ Mother is waiting to welcome you. 
My wife and children will also be glad to see you. 
Come home with me.” 

But to the weakened mind of the old man, his family 
had no existence. Indeed, it is doubtful if he knew 
what his son wanted him to do until he changed his 
appeal, suggesting that it was not the people in the 
East he wanted his father to visit, but a great gold 
and copper mine that no other mining man had been 
able intelligently to superintend. That for this purpose 
his great learning and skill were necessary. Then the 
old man became interested. Still, he objected to going. 

“ I have here,” he said, “ all the work I can under- 
take for a long while. When this is done I will talk 
about going East with you, but I cannot think for a 
moment of leaving now.” 

We will pass over the events that occurred shortly 
afterward. Gordon and Pete refused to leave the 
neighborhood, hoping that some change might come 
over the old man. They were at last discovered by the 
Danites, taken captives, and imprisoned in a lonely cliff 
4 7 


The Jaws of Death 

house in the neighborhood of the estufa of the cliff 
house in which they themselves were living. 

The Mormons kept close watch over them, but as 
far as food and other comforts were concerned they 
treated them well. They were placed at some distance 
from the cliff village in a lonely house, near the top of 
a high precipitous wall that formed one of the sides of 
a deep canon. Like most of the cliff houses in this re- 
gion, the one selected as a prison had a southern ex- 
posure. At an earlier time it had evidently formed one 
of a row of houses that had been dug in a soft sand- 
stone between two parallel harder strata. But all of 
them, except the one in which Gordon and Pete were 
confined, had disappeared by the gradual waste of the 
rocks, acted on by the rain and frost. 

The cliff house formed an ideal prison. It was ac- 
cessible only by means of a cavelike entrance from 
above through a long gallery cut in the softer rock. 

Exclusive of its cavelike entrance, the house con- 
sisted of a single room in which were fairly comfort- 
able beds of dried leaves. A small level and open 
space extended from the front of the house to the edge 
of the precipice. Although its width was only twenty 
feet, yet it was wide enough to permit the men to rest 
comfortably in the sunlight when they so wished. 
Here, except in stormy weather, they spent most of 
their time in such ways as their ingenuity could devise. 

It must not be supposed that they made no effort to 
escape. Both were so accustomed to the free life of the 
open air that their imprisonment chafed them no little. 

48 


The Jaws of Death 

The complete separation from his father, who was yet 
so near, almost drove the younger Gordon insane ; and 
both he and Pete continued making careful examina- 
tions of the cave back of their room, as well as the 
sides of the precipice above and below them. But 
escape by either of these ways was impracticable. 

“ I reckon we will hev to bunk here,” said Pete one 
day, “ ontil these Mormon fellers let us out. Ef 
course well keep our eyes peeled, sense something may 
turn up to help us get away.” 

Nothing did turn up for nearly six months, until 
one day Joseph Smith came into the room and, calling 
Gordon aside, said : 

“ Stranger, I have a proposition to make to you. 
Would you care to hear it? ” 

“ What is it? ” inquired Gordon. 

“ You are a mining engineer, are you not?” in- 
quired Smith. 

“ Yes,” was the reply. 

“ Would you be willing to help the man, who I 
understand is your father and is also a mining engi- 
neer, look after some of our mining properties ? ” 

“ Tell me just what you mean,” replied Gordon. 

“ I mean, are you willing to go out to do the work 
you are accustomed to do ? ” 

“ And if I do this, what then? Will you give me my 
liberty ? ” 

“ Never that,” was the reply. “ You can understand 
we can’t take such a risk. But it would certainly be 
more pleasant for you to work than to stay here. Then 
d 49 


The Jaws of Death 

too, you can see more of your father. When this work 
is done you must return here or to some other place 
like it. You needn’t fear the work will soon be fin- 
ished. There is plenty to do to keep you busy for 
many years. I don’t expect an answer now,” he con- 
tinued; “ I’ll give you a few days to think the matter 
over.” 

“ I’d do it,” said Pete when they were again alone. 
“ It kin do ye no harm, and you kin be with your dad. 
You may be able yet to get him to go with ye.” 

On the return of Smith a few days afterward, Gor- 
don told him he would accept the proposition providing 
his companion, Pete, was permitted to accompany him. 
This, however, Smith absolutely refused to consider 
for a moment, so that Gordon, although reluctantly, 
agreed to accept the offer made to him. 

When he informed Pete of his decision, that in- 
dividual remarked: 

“ I ain’t denyin’ I’ll be very lonely like, but I say 
go. You may find some chance to escape. Then I 
reckon ye would soon get enough white people to join 
ye to yank me out of this hole. And ef I ever escape,” 
he said grimly, “ I’ll remember what I owe to that 
rascal, Joe Smith.” 

In this way it happened that the two men, father 
and son, were almost continually together during the 
working hours of the day. Although the father failed 
to recognize his son, yet he appeared happy to be with 
one who could talk intelligently on the subjects in 
which he was so deeply interested. They were always 
50 


The Jaws of Death 

accompanied by a number of guards, and this es- 
pecially when traveling to distant mines. 

It was in this manner that, about the time of the 
visit of Christian’s party to the Colorado Desert, the 
two Gordons, in company with a number of Mormons 
and Indians, were actually on the plateau that Rob 
called the “ Plateau of his Dream.” This was when 
Rob, Happy, and Colorado Bill were sufficiently near 
to enable Rob to recognize the mesa and to see the 
arroya with its slender stream of water pouring down 
a steep descent. They returned to camp to bring their 
companions with them, intending to reach the sum- 
mit, but were prevented by the astonishing news from 
a prospector, who had been camping near them, that 
a party of Indians and two white men could then be 
seen riding hurriedly toward the northeast. 


5i 


CHAPTER IV 


A Council of War 

But let us now return to the separate parties of our 
friends who, as related in the second volume of “ The 
Young Mineralogist,” had so strangely met at the 
northeast corner of Arizona, near the boundaries of 
Colorado, Utah, and New Mexico. Here the Russian 
Jew, Stanislaus Metchiniskoff, had attempted to hold 
up Happy. He had, indeed, succeeded in getting the 
drop on the lad, who when ordered to hold up his 
hands had not hesitated to do so. But Stanislaus 
Metchiniskoff was ignorant of the resources of his 
intended victim, who completely turned the tables on 
him, recovered the stolen emerald, and delivered him, a 
prisoner, to Ivan Petromelinski. Moreover, he handed 
the emerald to Blavinski, the Russian nobleman, who 
had accompanied our old friends, Blank, Petromelinski, 
and Francksen, in pursuit of the thieves. Here too, 
the party of Christian, Engleman, Robert, and his boy 
friends, together with Colorado Bill, Awake-in-the- 
Night, and Sam Lung, had arrived in hot pursuit of 
the band of Mormons and Indians. 

Although the emerald was recovered and Metchinis- 
koff captured, yet Mashinsky escaped, as did also the 
band of Mormons and Indians with their two white 
captives. 


52 


The Jaws of Death 

But before saying anything further about this mat- 
ter, it will be well, for the sake of those of our readers 
who have not read the first two volumes of “ The 
Young Mineralogist,” briefly to relate some of the im- 
portant events contained in them, as well as to de- 
scribe some of their principal characters. 

In the first volume of the series, “ A Chip of the Old 
Block; or, At the Bottom of the Ladder,” a description 
is given in the prologue of the remarkable disappear- 
ance of Robert Harold Gordon, Sr., and, about five 
years afterward, of Robert Harold Gordon, Jr. As 
far as was known to his friends, these disappearances 
occurred in the neighborhood of the very place where 
the people above referred to had chanced to meet. 
This volume especially relates the adventures of Robert 
Harold Gordon 3rd, grandson and son of the two miss- 
ing Gordons. Robert was a true chip of the old block, 
inheriting, as he did, from both grandfather and 
father much of their abilities. He had, however, re- 
mained long in ignorance of these abilities, so that, 
like many others, he might actually have gone to his 
grave without being aware of them. 

Fortunately, Robert had two adult friends, John 
Alexander Christian and Prof. Joseph Jackson Engle- 
man, both mining engineers, geologists, and mineralo- 
gists. Believing the lad had inherited abilities in the 
lines in which both grandfather and father had ex- 
celled, these men, especially Professor Engleman, suc- 
ceeded in enabling Robert to discover his inheritance. 
Inviting him, with three of his boy friends, to call at 
53 


The Jaws of Death 

his office in Philadelphia, the professor gave each of 
them a number of carefully selected mineral speci- 
mens, the same specimens to each, and persuaded them 
to endeavor, by reading, to discover their correct 
names. This was done at a time when Engleman was 
about leaving the city on a somewhat prolonged pro- 
fessional trip. The boys were, therefore, obliged to 
depend entirely on their unaided efforts in puzzling 
out the names of the minerals. 

Robert’s three boy friends, who joined him in this 
study, were Ralph Earle Clinton, Emil Carl Schloss, 
and Norman Edwin Taggart. As these boys will 
figure extensively in this volume, it may be well to 
give a brief description of some of their peculiarities. 

Ralph Earle Clinton was an unusual boy. He had 
accustomed himself to look on the bright side of life 
to such an extent that he had no difficulty, no matter 
what trouble occurred, in persuading himself that it 
was not a misfortune but, on the contrary, a wonder- 
ful piece of good luck. When, therefore, any trou- 
ble came, instead of bemoaning it as bad luck, he 
would begin carefully to think it over with the rea- 
sons he had for regarding it as good luck, would wel- 
come each discovery with a smile that spread in a 
wonderful manner over his countenance. It was for 
this reason that the smile, instead of remaining un- 
changed, thus making his face repellent rather than 
attractive, was continually changing. His boy friends 
had, therefore, given him the name of “ Happy,” a 
name by which he was generally known. 

54 


The Jaws of Death 

Schloss, or, as the boys called him, “ Emil,” was 
especially fond of chemistry. With him it was a case 
where inherited abilities manifested themselves at an 
early age. At the time the story opens, Emil had 
built a laboratory in the cellar of his home in Phila- 
delphia. Here the four lads spent much of their time 
in astounding chemical experiments, in their efforts to 
discover the composition and the names of their min- 
eral specimens. That they did not bring this book to 
an untimely end by blowing or burning themselves up 
was due rather to a kindly dispensation of Providence 
than any special prudence on their part. 

The third lad, Norman Edwin Taggart, called by his 
companions “ Norman,” belonged to an entirely dif- 
ferent type. He had been endowed, naturally, with 
an unusually large head and marked mental abilities. 
He came from Boston and, although fortunate in the 
inheritance of brains, was extremely unfortunate in 
having foolish parents to care for him. They per- 
mitted the cultivation of the lad’s brains to get so 
far ahead of his body, that when about fourteen, an 
age when the body should begin to take on the well- 
developed frame of coming manhood, it displayed 
spindling legs, thin arms, and so little physical 
strength that he was unable to carry out plans his 
brain might devise. Besides all this, he had been so 
separated from the companionship of healthy, grow- 
ing boys, and so much associated with older people 
that, instead of talking like an ordinary boy, he em- 
ployed the stilted speech of people scores of years his 
55 


The Jaws of Death 

senior. Fortunately, however, a companionship with 
boys like Robert, Happy, and Emil was beginning to 
bear fruit in a more natural speech and a more promis- 
ing physical growth. 

During their study of the mineralogical specimens, 
Robert and Happy had been able to give much help to 
a Philadelphia detective, a B. B. Blank, and a Russian 
nobleman, Blavinski, in regaining a valuable set of 
diamonds, together with a duplicate set that was being 
cut by August Wilfred Francksen, a lapidary, at his 
shop in Philadelphia. Although the diamonds were 
regained, the thieves, Stanislaus Metchiniskoff and 
Sigismund Mashinsky succeeded in escaping. 

In the second volume, “ The Land of Drought; or, 
Across the Great American Desert,” a description is 
given of the adventures of Robert, Happy, and Nor- 
man, who had been taken by Christian and Engleman 
across the Colorado Desert, which they had visited 
professionally. The expedition was undertaken jointly 
by reason of rumors Christian had heard that two 
white men had been seen at different times in the 
desert as prisoners of a band of Mormons and Indians. 
Christian and Engleman’s party had left Yuma, near 
the southwestern corner of Arizona, in company with 
Colorado Bill, a cowboy guide, an Indian known as 
Awake-in-the-Night, to look after the horses, and a 
Chinese cook named Sam Lung. 

A brief explanation should be given here as to how 
the boys had been taken on such an expensive jour- 
ney as that across the Colorado Desert. In order to 
56 


The Jaws of Death 

reward Robert and Happy for the services they had 
rendered him in the recovery of the Dimitri and Bla- 
vinski diamonds, Blavinski, the Russian nobleman, had 
sent Francksen a considerable sum of money that he 
asked should be expended, not by their families, but in 
something that would give the boys special pleasure. 
He begged Francksen and Engleman to act as trustees, 
and suggested that if Engleman was willing to take the 
boys with him on some of his mineralogical journeys, it 
would not only give them great pleasure, but would 
also be of special advantage in their study of min- 
eralogy and geology. 

The consent of the parents was obtained and this 
was done. As for Norman, who was a nephew of 
Professor Engleman, the professor took him along, 
paying the expenses out of his own pocket. 

During the progress of the story much interesting 
information is given of the peculiarities of the plant 
and animal life of the desert, its climate, rainfall, etc. 
They had many exciting adventures. During this time 
both Happy and Robert succeeded in gaining the 
friendship of the Indian, Awake-in-the-Night, so that 
afterward, when they succeeded in almost overtaking 
the party of Mormons and Indians, the Indian assured 
Robert that the white men they had been following 
were undoubtedly his grandfather and father, and 
that the party was on the way to a part of Colorado 
known as the Mesa Verde. The account of their sub- 
sequent adventures is given in this volume of the series, 
“ The Jaws of Death.” 


57 


The Jaws of Death 

But let us now again return to the parties that, with- 
out intending to do so, had met at the northeastern 
corner of Arizona, near the Mesa Verde, at almost 
the very moment Happy had surprised and captured 
Metchiniskoff. Petromelinski had slipped the hand- 
cuffs on the man’s wrists, left him in charge of Fred 
Loosing, with instructions to shoot him if he en- 
deavored to escape, and had followed the party in an 
endeavor to capture Mashinsky. But they were unsuc- 
cessful. Mashinsky mysteriously disappeared, leaving 
no tracks or trail by which they were able to follow 
him. 

When Petromelinski was introduced to Engleman, 
on his return to where Fred had been left with Met- 
chiniskoff, he said : 

“ I received your various telegrams, Professor En- 
gleman, and was greatly helped by them. I wish to 
thank you for the trouble you have taken in this 
matter.” 

“ I am glad to be assured they were of use to you,” 
was the reply. “ Let me congratulate you on the 
recovery of the emerald and the arrest of the thief, 
Metchiniskoff. You and Mr. Blank have certainly 
handled this case with great ability.” 

“ And so say I,” remarked Blavinski. 

“ Yes, Blank and I have handled the case all right,” 
said Petromelinski ; “ but it was this lad,” he said, turn- 
ing to Happy, “ who did the trick in taking the man 
a prisoner and recovering the emerald. I only saw a 
part of what happened. I wish some of you who saw 

58 


The Jaws of Death 

all would tell me just what happened to the lad and 
how he took the man.” 

“ Wall, stranger,” said Colorado Bill, “ thet Rus- 
sian feller,” pointing to the prisoner, “ got the drop 
on Hap, this here lad,” he said, pointing to Happy. 

“ ‘ Hold up yer hands ! ’ he cried. 

“ Wall, Hap’s no fool. He saw the feller’s pistol 
pinting straight at his head and held up his hands im- 
mediate. But then, blame me,” he said, rather to him- 
self than to them, “ the trick Hap played on him makes 
me laugh when I think of it. 

“ ‘ Hands up ? ’ said Hap. * Why, sartinly. Any- 
thing else ye want ? ’ 

“ ‘ Yes,’ was the reply; ‘ chuck me yer gun.’ 

“ As Hap was about to do so the feller jumped right 
into the trap Hap had set fer him. 

“ ‘ Be keerful how you hold thet gun,’ said the feller 
to Hap, * or I’ll fill ye with lead.’ 

“ ‘ How do ye want me to hold it ? ’ inquired Hap, 
innocent like. 

“ 4 Take it by the muzzle and then hand it to me.’ 

“ Now here’s whar the feller made a big mistake,” 
said Bill, grinning. “ Ye see, he didn’t know what a 
slick feller Hap is, so when Hap, holding the gun by 
the muzzle, offered it to him the Russian chap lowered 
his gun to take it, when Hap, quicker than a wink, 
threw his gun into the air, ketched it by the handle, 
and sent a bullet plum into the man’s hand, making 
him drop his gun. 

“ ‘ I do this,’ said Hap, ‘ to give ye a chance fer yer 

59 


The Jaws of Death 

life. Now, throw up yer hands,’ and when he had done 
this, Hap said : 4 Throw me thet emerald ye stole from 
the Czar of Russia,’ but the feller was unwilling to do 
this, and sorter hesitated. 

“ 4 I don’t know whether ye kin shoot or not,’ he 
said. 

44 4 Ye don’t? ’ remarked Hap. 4 Wall, then, to con- 
vince ye, I’ll plug a hole through yer right ear.’ And 
this he did to onct by a very pretty shot. 

44 4 Ef ye’re not convinced,’ said Hap, 4 I’ll bore a 
similar hole through yer left ear. Shall I do it ? ’ 

44 4 No; I’m satisfied ye kin shoot,’ said the feller. 

44 1 don’t have to tell ye the rest of what happened 
fer ye saw it,” said Bill, turning to Petromelinski ; 44 ye 
put the handcuffs on the feller, and ye,” he said, turn- 
ing to Blavinski, 44 took the emerald thet Hap handed 
to ye.” 

44 You certainly handled this case wonderfully well, 
my lad,” said Petromelinski. 44 If you would like to 
help me in my detective work I can offer you big 
pay. I’m sure you would make a great success.” 

44 Thank you,” said Happy, smiling; 44 1 don’t care to 
go into that business. I would rather remain with 
these gentlemen,” turning to Christian and Engleman, 
44 and try to learn to be a mining engineer.” 

Several hours had been expended in the unsuccessful 
hunt for Mashinsky, so that it was now supper-time. 
After supper they sat around the camp-fire talking 
of the many things that had occurred, and discussing 
the probability of the white men being with the Indians 
6o 


The Jaws of Death 

and the men they were pursuing. It is true they had 
but little doubt about this, since, as related in the 
second volume, they had found on the body of the 
murdered Chinese cook, Gheng Lung, a ring that 
Robert recognized as having belonged to his father. 
They, therefore, felt fairly sure the white prisoners 
were the men for whom they were looking. Naturally, 
Engleman’s party was anxious to continue the pursuit, 
if possible, that night. This, Colorado Bill, after some 
trouble, succeeded in convincing them would be very 
foolish. 

“ I reckon ye hevn’t a kerrect idee of the kind of 
critters ye will find the two men with. They wouldn’t 
hesitate to kill ye, as they hev done many other people, 
and even if ye air willin’ to take such risks fer yer- 
selves, ye must not fergit thet ef ye should make it 
too hot fer the men, they might turn around and shoot 
the fellers ye air tryin’ to rescue.” 

Neither Blank nor Petromelinski had taken any part 
in the conversation between Colorado Bill and his em- 
ployers; but Blank, turning to Petromelinski, now 
said : 

“ I remember your telling me, Ivan, some days ago, 
that you knew some little about the kind of men who 
have probably taken the two Gordons prisoners. Sup- 
pose we tell these gentlemen all we know about the 
matter. Would you like us to do this, Professor En- 
gleman ? ” 

“ I certainly should, Mr. Blank,” was the reply. 

Blank and Petromelinski then gave a detailed de- 
61 


The Jaws of Death 

scription of the kind of people they would probably 
find on the Mesa Verde with the two white men. The 
description was given by them alternately. One would 
begin and the other would fill in or supplement the 
description. 

Seeing that Engleman and his party were surprised 
at the extent of the knowledge they had of the Mesa 
Verde, Blank added: 

“ You see, gentlemen, this place is where so many 
of the men who are wanted in this country and Russia 
go to hide, that we are obliged to keep posted about it.” 

From the information thus obtained, it was evident 
it would be necessary to lay their plans carefully. They 
must endeavor to obtain the information they wished 
without being seen by the Danites or their Indians, and 
this would be difficult ; since their scouts and spies were 
apt to be constantly on the lookout now they knew they 
were being pursued. They discussed their plans for 
an hour or more, holding what they very appropriately 
called “ a council of war.” 

As a result of this meeting, it was agreed that 
nothing should be done until they could go together 
to the Mesa Verde. To do this they would be obliged 
to wait until the murderer Metchiniskoff could be sent 
on the way to Russia, and the emerald was safely on 
its way for delivery to the Czar. 

“ I imagine the first thing you will want to do,” 
said Professor Engleman to Petromelinski, “ will be to 
see that Metchiniskoff is sent on his way to Russia.” 

“ Yes, that’s the first thing,” replied Petromelinski. 

62 


The Jaws of Death 

“Will you go with him?” inquired Blank of Pe- 
tromelinski. 

“ I go to Russia ! By no means/’ was the reply. 
“ While the other fellow, Mashinsky, is at large, I must 
remain here and continue the search for him.” And 
then, turning to Blavinski, he said : “ I suppose you 
will be anxious to return the emerald to the Czar ? ” 

“ Naturally,” said Blavinski. “ The emerald, as you 
know, is very valuable, and I want personally to de- 
liver it to the Czar as soon as I can safely do so.” 

“ Then, of course, you will be willing also to see that 
Metchiniskoff is delivered up to the authorities in 
Russia.” 

“ I will be glad to do so,” was the reply. “ I will go 
direct to San Francisco, and thence by steamer to 
Russia. If, when this is done, I find you have not suc- 
ceeded in taking Mashinsky, I will return and help 
you.” 

“ Blank,” said Petromelinski, turning to his col- 
league, “ I imagine you will remain here and aid me 
in the search for Mashinsky.” 

“ I must,” was the reply. “ Mashinsky is now 
wanted for the theft of diamonds in America as well 
as for murder in Salt Lake City. I could not think of 
returning to the East until I have made every effort 
to capture him.” 

They were still sitting around the camp-fire when 
Awake-in-the-Night, approaching, beckoned to Rob 
and, taking him a short distance apart, remarked : 

“ You and Smile-on-his-face my friends. Awake-in- 

63 


The Jaws of Death 

the-Night come back to say the white men with the 
Indians are your grandfather and father. They have 
gone to the Mesa Verde,” and with that he again disap- 
peared. 

It was agreed that Francksen, Fred, and Blank, ac- 
companied by one of the cowboys as a guide, should go 
early the next morning to the nearest railroad station 
and take a train for San Francisco; that as soon as 
Blavinski and the murderer were safely aboard a 
steamship, bound for Russia, they should return, and 
that until that was done no steps should be taken for 
visiting the Mesa Verde. 


64 


CHAPTER V 


The Further Adventures of Mashinsky 

When Metchiniskoff was taken prisoner by Happy, 
Mashinsky was a short distance behind his partner in 
guilt, so that he could see all that was happening. He 
could, therefore, not only see the dreaded Petromelin- 
ski and the almost equally dreaded Blank approach- 
ing in one direction, but also Rob and Colorado Bill 
approaching in another. Without making any effort 
to rescue his companion, he basely fled. 

There are so many deep depressions in the surface 
of the country in which Mashinsky had so unexpectedly 
met his enemies, that he found it ill adapted to a rapid 
flight. No matter in what direction he might endeavor 
to escape, he would soon be stopped by one or another 
of the side gulleys or canons that abounded. This 
necessitated frequent change in direction, and was a 
great handicap to him. 

There is a marked difference between an ordinary 
river flowing through a wide valley and one that 
flows at the bottom of a deep canon, where it is shut 
in by almost perpendicular walls. In the one, the rain 
water flows, or rather trickles, slowly down the gentle 
slopes, supplying the life-giving moisture to the plants. 
Such a river valley, therefore, is covered with rich 
E 65 


The Jaws of Death 

verdure. Moreover, during its gradual flow there is 
an opportunity for the water to sink deep into the 
ground, thus filling the reservoirs of springs. It is 
true that much of these waters finally reach the river 
channel, but they do this slowly, thus not only afford- 
ing time to sink into the soil, but giving an abundance 
of time for the return of some of the moisture to the 
dry air by evaporation. A river flowing through a 
valley, therefore, for the most part ensures a rich vege- 
tation and a fairly moist atmosphere. 

Not so with the stream that flows sullenly at the 
bottom of a deep canon. It blasts rather than blesses 
the country it drains, and turns it into a desert. The 
water from the occasional rains disappears almost at 
once from the surface in a sullen plunge over the 
walls of the canons. This flow is too rapid to permit 
the water to do much in the way of moistening the 
surface as a whole. The surface is, therefore, left dry 
and barren. The air over it is so parched that it is not 
only not friendly to vegetation, but, to a certain extent, 
makes it difficult for rain to fall. 

But, while the country in which Mashinsky found 
himself did not facilitate flight, it afforded many ad- 
vantages for hiding. Many of the canons have suffi- 
ciently gentle slopes to enable one with care to find a 
safe passage to the stream below. 

There was another handicap for Mashinsky. To 
take advantage of these deep gulches he must have no 
little familiarity with the locality. He had never been 
66 


The Jaws of Death 

there before, however, so that the chances of his find- 
ing a safe path to the stream below were very slim. 

Mashinsky was not the only one who had witnessed 
what was occurring between Metchiniskoff and Happy. 
There were two separate groups of men who had also 
been watching. One of these was Joseph Smith, the 
Mormon, and an Apache Indian. The other group, 
standing in an adjoining side canon overlooking the 
level ground on which Happy and Metchiniskoff stood, 
also able to see all that was going on, consisted of 
two Pueblo Indians. Neither of these groups saw the 
other. Each was too intent on observing the en- 
counter. The Pueblo Indians were shamans, or medi- 
cine men, and judging from their headdress they were 
among the principal men in their tribe. 

Both groups were greatly interested in what they 
were seeing. But we can best understand the nature of 
their interest by listening to their conversation. 

Listen first to Smith, who is talking to the Indian 
at his side. 

“ That fellow,” he said, pointing to Mashinsky, 
“ will make a good recruit for your fighting men. He 
has many enemies and they are close on his heels. You 
can make him help you by threatening to give him up to 
them unless he does what you ask.” 

“ Man no good,” grunted the Indian ; “ heap bad 
fellow. Big coward to run away without helping 
tother fellow. Indian not think much of him.” 

“ That need not trouble you,” replied Smith. “ You 

67 


The Jaws of Death 

are not generally so careful about the men you take 
into your company to help you in stealing and killing. 
I say this man will make a good recruit.” 

With a contemptuous grunt, the Indian replied : 

“ White man will do for Indian, but white man must 
do what he is told or Indian will make it heap bad for 
him.” 

“ That’s all right,” replied Joseph Smith, grimly 
smiling, “ I don’t care how you treat him. You can 
easily get him. Should he trouble you hand him over 
to his enemies.” 

Listening now to what the Pueblo Indians were say- 
ing, it is evident that the conduct of the Russian Jew 
filled them with even deeper disgust than it had Joseph 
Smith and the Apache Indian. 

“ Man very much coward,” said one of them to his 
companion. “ Leave friend and run away.” 

“ But all right lad,” replied the other. “ Fool that 
man much,” he remarked as they saw Happy throw his 
pistol up in the air, catch it again, and send a ball 
through MetchiniskofFs hand. “ Heap big warrior. 
Shoots quick. Aims true. Great lad.” 

“ We capture him and teach him to be a shaman? ” 

It is put as a question. The only reply his com- 
panion made was a significant nod of the head, mean- 
ing yes. 

It is the habit of the medicine men of the Pueblo In- 
dians, and indeed of many other tribes, to adopt young 
boys, train them in their ways, and so prevent their 
68 


The Jaws of Death 

ranks from ever dying out. They are, therefore, con- 
stantly on the lookout for promising lads, and, al- 
though this is seldom done with those of another race, 
yet, when exceptionally bright white lads are dis- 
covered, they do not hesitate to adopt them if they can. 

When a lad is thus taken into what constitutes their 
priesthood, family ties, to a great extent, are broken, 
the lad being kept for the remainder of his life almost 
continually in the service and companionship of the 
shamans. 

Were not something of this kind done the line of 
their priesthood would soon disappear, since the pro- 
longed fasts and rigid discipline practised, almost in- 
variably result in a shortened life. It is necessary, 
therefore, constantly to recruit their ranks by boys. 

It was natural the shamans should be pleased with 
what they saw. Happy was to them an unusual type 
of lad. They could see that if properly trained he 
would soon attain a high rank in their priesthood. 
They, therefore, determined to take the first oppor- 
tunity of capturing him and taking him to some one 
of their villages, where they might initiate him into 
their mysteries. 

“ We will watch for the lad and take him prisoner 
when his friends are away,” said one of the Pueblos to 
his companion. 

Mashinsky, as already stated, had reached the con- 
clusion that it was wise to run, and he started rapidly 
in a direction opposite to that of his approaching ene- 
69 


The Jaws of Death 

mies. It so happened that he started almost directly 
toward the side canon where Joseph Smith and the 
Apache were standing. He saw the opening to the 
canon before he caught sight of the men. 

“ What a wretched country,” he said to himself. 
“ A fellow can’t go in a straight line without getting 
into trouble. If I turn back I will fall in the hands of 
that devil, Petromelinski, and that other devil, Blank. 
If I go to the left I will fall into the hands of the other 
crowd.” 

As he stood for a moment undecided what to do, he 
heard a low voice saying : 

“ If you wish to escape come this way,” and looking 
up he saw Joseph Smith and the Apache standing near 
him. 

Fearing that he had fallen into an ambuscade, Ma- 
shinsky drew his dagger and took on a look that gave 
to his face a more repulsive appearance than usual, and 
this is saying very much. 

But Smith and the Indian greeted him with a smile, 
Smith saying in a low tone : 

“ Have no fear. We are your friends and will help 
you escape.” 

Mashinsky had but little choice. If he fled from 
Smith and the Indian he would certainly be taken by 
the dreaded Petromelinski and Blank, and if not by 
them he would probably be shot by Colorado Bill, who 
looked like a man who was quick on the trigger. He, 
therefore, approached the Mormon and the Indian. 

“ Fear not, stranger,” said Smith, “ you are much 
70 



“ Mashinsky drew his dagger ” Page 70 































































































































































































































The Jaws of Death 

safer with us than you would be with the men who are 
pursuing you.” 

“ Who are you ? ” inquired Mashinsky, still grasp- 
ing his dagger in a menacing manner. 

“ It matters not,” was the reply. “ It should be 
sufficient if I tell you that the men who are pursuing 
you are as much my enemies as they are yours. I hate 
them even more than you do.” 

“ Then, stranger,” replied Mashinsky, “ I’m with 
you.” 

“ Follow us,” said Smith, “ and we will soon take 
you to a place of safety.” 

Glad to escape on any terms, Mashinsky descending 
the canon rapidly followed Smith and the Indian, and 
was soon far below the surface. After some time they 
entered the main canon and rapidly followed the 
stream. 

Mashinsky found it difficult to keep up with his 
guides. After a half-hour he was so nearly exhausted 
that he said to Smith in a surly tone : 

“ I cannot go any farther, whether I am caught or 
not.” 

“ We can safely rest now for a while; I will give 
you a breathing spell,” said Smith. “ Of course you 
know,” he continued, “ how dangerous it would be to 
stroll about very much in this neighborhood.” 

“ I know that,” replied Mashinsky. 

“ Then what are you growling about? ” said Smith, 
in such a tone that Mashinsky saw there was no use 
in his being ugly. 




The Jaws of Death 

“ I don’t know, I’m sure,” was the reply. “ In fact, 
stranger, I am lucky in meeting you. I could not safely 
move about much outside of the canons.” 

“ Do you think your enemies will make any con- 
tinued efforts to capture you ? ” inquired Smith. 

“ Two of them would not hesitate to follow me to 
the grave. One is a great Russian detective, known as 
Petromelinski, and the other a Philadelphia detective, 
known as Blank.” 

It was evident that Smith had heard of Petrome- 
linski before. 

“ I have heard of the man you call Petromelinski,” 
he said. “ He’s a great fellow for catching men like 
you, and I think you may make up your mind that he is 
going to take you unless you let us help you. What 
are you thinking of doing ? ” 

“ I don’t know,” was the reply. 

“ Would you like steady employment, at least for a 
while ? ” continued Smith. 

“ I would. Can you give me any work? ” 

“ The Indian can,” replied Smith. 

“ What kind of work ? ” inquired Mashinsky. 

“ Suppose a part of it was to follow the people who 
are trying to capture you? How would that suit 
you? ” 

“ It would suit me all right,” replied Mashinsky, 
with a great oath. 

“And if the other work was to follow white mi- 
ning men or prospectors, who came into our country to 
pick out the best mineral lands, and drive them out, 
72 


The Jaws of Death 

or, if necessary, to kill them, how would that suit 
you ? ” 

“ That would suit me all right,” was the reply. 

“ Then I can give you steady work,” remarked 
Smith. 

“ And how about the pay ? ” inquired Mashinsky. 

“ You will find that all right. But make up your 
mind quickly,” he said, assuming a harsh tone ; “ if 
you don’t like the work Til show you the way back to 
the surface, where you can shift for yourself.” 

“ But I do like the work,” was the reply; for Ma- 
shinsky was beginning to fear the man would do what 
he threatened. 

“ Then,” said Smith, “ follow me,” and the three 
men again set off at a rapid pace in the direction of 
the Mesa Verde. 

All the people at the combined camp-fire of the dif- 
ferent parties had turned in for the night, except 
Happy and Colorado Bill, who sat talking. Bill was 
greatly mortified that a tenderfoot, like Mashinsky, 
had been able to escape, almost in sight of his pur- 
suers. 

“ I feel blamed mean, Hap,” he said to the lad, “ thet 
I hevn’t been able to follow the tracks of thet Russian 
feller. I hev been a’most of my life follering tracks, 
and here’s a feller, what I reckon hez hed but little ex- 
perience in this work, gettin’ off from me. It makes 
me feel cheap like.” 

“ Quit your whinnying, Bill,” said Happy in a con- 

73 


The Jaws of Death 

soling tone. “ It shouldn’t be so hard for Mashinsky 
or any other fellow to make his escape in a place where 
there are so many side canons in which he could hide.” 

“ How do ye allow the feller got off, Hap? ” inquired 
Bill. 

“ No one can be sure he did get off, Bill. He may 
have fallen to the bottom of the deep canon, where he 
now lies dead.” 

“ Thet’s so,” said Bill. “ I’m free to admit thet’s 
a sort of consoling to me. But,” he continued, “ hev 
ye thought of any other possible way he may hev 
escaped ? ” 

“ I have, Bill,” was the reply. 

“ Then out with it,” exclaimed Bill. 

“ Well,” continued Happy, “ don’t it seem more 
than likely that he has fallen into the hands of some 
of the people connected with the Indians we have been 
following, and that they have shown him a safe way to 
the main canon ? The chances are that by this time he 
is hurrying with them on their way to the Mesa 
Verde.” 

“ What ye tell me, Hap, is more comfortin’,” said 
Bill. “ I hope thet feller hez not been killed. Not thet 
I care fer him,” he added, “ but a’cause I would like to 
say something to him should I see him agin.” 

“ If,” continued Happy, “ he is still alive, as I think 
probable, and has gone with some of the party we have 
been pursuing, the chances are that we will see him 
again.” 


74 


CHAPTER VI 


The Mesa Verde 

From what Awake-in-the-Night had told him, Rob 
was now sure his grandfather and father were with 
the band of Mormons and Indians they had been fol- 
lowing. He was therefore no little cast down when 
the conclusion had been reached of not continuing the 
pursuit until the return of Colorado Bill, who was to 
be sent to guide Blavinski and Metchiniskoff to the 
nearest railroad station, where they would take the 
train for San Francisco and thence go by steamship 
to Russia. On reaching Russia, Blavinski contem- 
plated going to St. Petersburg by the overland train 
from Vladivistok. Although Colorado Bill was to re- 
turn to them as soon as he had taken Blavinski to the 
railroad station, yet Rob knew this would necessitate 
a great delay in their following Smith and his band. 
It would be at the least five or six days before Colorado 
Bill could return, and what might not happen to his 
grandfather and father during this weary waiting. 

Seeing Rob’s disappointment from his countenance, 
Professor Engleman, who had been discussing the 
matter with Mr. Christian, turning to the lad, said : 

“ It will come hard to wait, Rob, will it not? ” 

“ It will, professor,” was the reply; “but doubtless 
both you and Mr. Christian are satisfied that it is wise 
75 


The Jaws of Death 

to take this course. You see,” he said, “ if we do not 
keep on the track of the Mormons and Indians they 
may so cover their traces that it will be impossible for 
us to find them again.” 

“ That is what Mr. Christian and I have just been 
talking about, Rob. We are by no means satisfied with 
the conclusion that has been reached. I don’t believe 
the others have turned in for the night. Suppose you 
ask them to come again to the camp-fire ? Say we wish 
to talk over this matter further with them.” 

It is needless to say that Rob did this willingly. In 
a short time all the members of the party were again 
seated in consultation around the camp-fire. 

“ I have asked you to meet again, gentlemen,” said 
Engelman, “ because Christian and I, on thinking the 
matter over, have been wondering whether we have 
not made a mistake when we decided to wait before 
resuming the pursuit until the return of Bill.” 

“ There, Ivan,” said Blank, turning to the Russian 
detective, “ you see these gentlemen have reached the 
same conclusion we have.” 

“ And what was that conclusion, Mr. Blank, if I may 
ask? ” inquired Christian. 

“ That it would be better,” said Petromelinski, an- 
swering for Blank, “ to follow these people without 
delay now we are on their tracks. Blavinski,” he said, 
turning to that gentleman, “ you brought a reliable 
guide with you, did you not ? Do you think he is a man 
you can trust ? ” 

“ I did,” said Blavinski. “ I feel sure both he and 

;6 


The Jaws of Death 

the man engaged to look after the horses can be 
trusted. They are both true white men.” 

“ Do you think,” continued Petromelinski, “ that, 
if instead of sending Colorado Bill to guide you to the 
railroad station, you took these two men, there would 
be any increased danger of losing either the prisoner or 
the emerald ? ” 

“ I don’t believe there would be any extra risk,” was 
the reply, “ though perhaps you had better let me have 
Fred Loosing also. Then I think it will be perfectly 
safe.” 

“ I should be very unhappy,” said Engleman, “ if 
doing this on my account, anything should occur 
whereby Metchiniskoff makes his escape, or the emer- 
ald again be stolen.” 

Don’t worry about Metchiniskoff escaping,” said 
Blavinski. “ We would be justified in shooting him if 
he attempts it. You think it would be safe, do you not, 
Ivan ? ” he added, turning to the Russian detective. 

“ Perfectly,” was the reply. “ If I did not I would 
never be willing to take the responsibility of going with 
our friends in the pursuit. But, professor,” he added, 
turning to Engleman, “ I am not doing this solely on 
your account. Although much pleased to aid in the 
rescue of your friends, I am unwilling to let that fellow 
Mashinsky escape.” 

“ I am greatly pleased that you feel that way about 
the matter,” said Engleman. 

“ Then I will do as you suggest,” said Blavinski to 
Petromelinski. “ Have you any advice for me ? ” 

77 


The Jaws of Death 

“ Yes,” was the reply. “ Go to the nearest large 
town and ask the sheriff to raise a posse to accompany 
you by train to San Francisco. I will give you a letter 
to the authorities of San Francisco, with whom I am 
acquainted, so that you will have no trouble in obtain- 
ing extradition papers to take the fellow out of the 
country. I have already prepared such a letter, believ- 
ing you might need it.” 

Blavinski and his party started early the next morn- 
ing and the others again took up the pursuit. 

They were then in the northeastern corner of Ari- 
zona, where the boundaries of Colorado and New 
Mexico meet its line and that of Utah. It was a wild 
district, containing some of the tributaries of the great 
Colorado River. Like all the country in the neighbor- 
hood, it was a region of deep gorges, the drainage 
reaching the Colorado at the bottom of deep canons. 

The Rio San Juan, the principal eastern tributary of 
the Colorado River, south of the confluence of the 
Grand and the Green Rivers, flows west near, and gen- 
erally parallel to, the southeastern boundary of Utah, 
emptying into the Colorado River north of the center 
of the northern boundary of Arizona. The San Juan 
rises in southwestern New Mexico, when, turning to 
the northwest, it passes almost exactly through the 
point where Colorado, New Mexico, Arizona, and 
Utah meet. 

The eastern tributaries of the San Juan from Colo- 
rado are interesting, from the fact that one of them, the 

78 


The Jaws of Death 

Rio Mancos, while flowing through the State, passes 
through the Mesa Verde. The Ute Indian Reservation 
extends into this part of Colorado, although the greater 
portion lies to the south in New Mexico. 

Our friends were, therefore, not far from that cu- 
rious corner of the great Southwest, where parts of 
Colorado, Utah, Arizona, and New Mexico come to- 
gether at a single point. 

We have so often referred generally to the Mesa 
Verde, that it will be well to give a brief description of 
its physical features and general peculiarities. 

The Mesa Verde, or as will be understood from the 
word verde, the green mesa, is an irregularly shaped 
tableland in the southwestern part of Colorado, that 
covers an area of something like seven hundred square 
miles. Unlike the general surface of the surrounding 
country, the Mesa Verde is covered for the greater part 
with a growth of pine and cedar trees, with here and 
there an occasional spruce, especially in or along the 
walls of the canons, where the moisture is less scanty. 
These trees give to the mesa the green appearance that 
warrants its name. 

As is well known, the name mesa (pronounced may - 
ze) is commonly given in the Southwest to any ex- 
tended, isolated tableland, with a flat surface, that 
stands alone, or almost alone, in a fairly level plain. A 
mesa generally has almost vertical walls that render ac- 
cess difficult; indeed, in some cases, almost impractica- 
ble. When more limited in extent, the mesa forms 
79 


The Jaws of Death 

what is generally called a butte; the two formations, 
however, are similar. 

It may be interesting to note here that mesa is a 
Spanish word for “ table,” while butte is a French 
word for a target or a mark. 

A mesa was no new sight to Robert and his boy 
friends. They had already seen a number while pass- 
ing through Arizona in pursuit of the Mormons. Both 
Professor Engleman and Mr. Christian had called es- 
pecial attention to these formations. It seemed odd, 
when the boys first learned that probably many hun- 
dreds of thousands of years ago the surrounding coun- 
try had the same general level as the tops of the mesas, 
or tablelands; that all the surrounding land had been 
gradually carried away, leaving the mesas, or buttes, 
standing like sentinels overlooking the surfaces that 
had so long ago disappeared. 

“ Is it known, Mr. Christian,” inquired Robert, 
“ why the land of the mesas and buttes has not been 
carried away like that surrounding it ? ” 

Seeing that Happy wished to say something, Mr. 
Christian, turning to the lad, said : 

“ Can you tell Robert why it was, Happy? ” 

“ Not exactly,” was the reply; “but I think it must 
have been because the land of the mesa was harder 
than the rest, though why harder I don’t know. Is it 
known, sir,” continued Happy, “ what made it so? ” 

“ Perhaps not exactly, my lad,” was the reply. “ It 
is, however, almost certain,” he continued, “ that in 
80 


The Jaws of Death 

most cases the land of the mesa has been made harder 
by dykes of basalt, which, as you probably remember, 
have been formed by the cooling of molten rock that 
has been forced up from below and hardened.” 

“ I remember now,” said Robert, “ reading in a 
geology that the buttes, or smaller mesas, often con- 
sist of the hardened cores or plugs of lava that once 
filled the crater and tube of the many volcanoes that 
existed in this part of the country long ago. Is that 
right, sir ? ” 

“ Yes,” was the reply; “ that is correct. This hard- 
ened core could better resist erosion than the surround- 
ing rock, and would therefore remain higher than the 
surrounding plain.” 

As our party subsequently had many opportunities 
for observing, the Mesa Verde, though generally level 
on the surface, was so much cut up by side gullies, or 
canons, and possessed such irregular outlines, that it is 
practically impossible to pursue anything like a straight 
course over the surface for any great distance. Al- 
though it is true in the case of the side canons of the 
Rio Mancos that ran through the mesa, they were 
generally parallel, yet in many places one would find 
himself on what would almost correspond to a very 
irregularly shaped island, from which it was impossible 
to pass to the adjoining island, except at a single nar- 
row neck connecting the two. In any other direction 
he would be stopped by the more or less impassable 
walls either of the main or one of the side canons. 

The upper strata of the rocks of which the Mesa 
f 81 


The Jaws of Death 

Verde is composed, consists, for the greater part, of 
massive sandstones; the middle strata, of alternating 
sandstones and shales; and the lower strata of sand- 
stones. Many of the shales are quite soft. When the 
softer beds are exposed to erosion, as the harder rocks 
are undermined they break down into vertical cliffs. 
When the hard and soft beds alternate at short dis- 
tances a series of steps with intervening slopes are 
formed. 

For considerable distances over the Mesa Verde the 
strata are to a certain extent held together by almost 
vertical dykes of basalt. Over many parts of the sur- 
face the eroding waters had cut deep canons, the 
streams often flowing several thousand feet below the 
surface. In some places the walls of the canons were 
almost vertical. In many places the vertical walls were 
marked by places where the softer material had been 
eroded so as to form huge caves. In such cases the 
harder strata projected above, forming a huge roof for 
the cave below. When the walls of the canons were 
observed from below, the alternate harder and softer 
strata could be clearly seen outlined in well-marked 
horizontal layers. (See Appendix A, “ Mesa Verde.”) 

There is abundant evidence that, long ago, the Mesa 
Verde had supported a dense population; for, on the 
vertical walls of the higher canons, especially on those 
of the canons of the Rio Mancos, there are numerous 
cave dwellings either more or less isolated from one 
another, or collected in rows often of a dozen or more 
at the least. In some places extended caves are found 
82 


The Jaws of Death 

in the softer rock between the parallel strata, on the 
floors of which are found ruins of large villages. 

Most all these dwellings are found on the almost 
inaccessible walls of the deep canons. These deserted 
dwellings of an ancient race vary from rude rooms, 
dug out of the softer rocks, to more elaborate struc- 
tures consisting of well-constructed houses, some- 
times three or four stories in height, built of blocks of 
stone that had been carefully hewn, chiseled, or cut, ap- 
parently with the primitive stone axes that are found in 
great numbers in the deserted houses. 

From the manner in which these houses were built, 
as well as from their location, there can be no doubt 
that they were fortified dwellings, erected by a race 
that has long since disappeared, as a protection from 
enemies, who were probably not unlike the savage 
Apaches who live in the neighborhood and at times 
continue both to murder and pillage. 

While most of the cliff dwellings have long ago been 
abandoned, some of the best preserved are still used 
as occasional dwelling-places for white outlaws, horse 
thieves, or some of the Indian descendants of the 
former races, such as the Navajos, the Utes, the 
Pueblos, and many others. 

Archeologists, or those who study the remains, 
places, customs, and records of ancient people, whether 
historic or prehistoric, have given much attention to 
the cliff dwellings of the great Southwest, especially to 
those of the Mesa Verde. Those who are desirous of 
becoming acquainted with what is known concerning 

83 


The Jaws of Death 

the archeology of the Mesa Verde are referred to the 
great work by G. Nordenskiold, called the “ Cliff 
Dwellers of the Mesa Verde.” 

For the sake of those who do not care to go much 
further into the matter, it is sufficient to say that care- 
ful archeological studies have established the fact that 
in various parts of the Mesa Verde, especially along the 
high walls of the canons of the Mancos River, that 
have been examined for a distance of about thirty 
miles, have been found fortified cities of fairly con- 
siderable extent, with well-built vertical towers, in 
some cases consisting of three concentric circular walls, 
formed of well-dressed, massive stonework. In some 
cases these cities were situated on the parts of the pre- 
cipitous walls where they were practically inaccessi- 
ble to their enemies, and were supplied with springs of 
good water. Doubtless it was into these fortified vil- 
lages that the people of the land retired on the approach 
of their enemies. It is improbable, however, that they 
were intended for long-continued occupancy, since the 
small pieces of arable land they cultivated for the rais- 
ing of maize or Indian corn, their principal vegetable 
food, were situated far away in the lowlands. 

Although exceedingly superstitious, the early cliff 
dwellers apparently possessed no little mental ability 
for a semi-civilized race. They were deeply religious, 
believing in the existence of deities not unlike those of 
some of the present Indian tribes they called “ The 
Trues.” The worship of these deities in the present 
Indian tribes was placed in the hands of medicine men, 
84 


The Jaws of Death 

known as “ shamans ” among the Pueblos, and by other 
names among the other tribes. The circle appears to be 
the symbol of perfection with them. Most of their 
religious ceremonies were conducted in the dark in a 
circular-shaped room or building called an estufa, 
lighted only by a fire they endeavored to keep con- 
tinually burning. The estufa was either entered by 
means of a ladder extending down from the middle of 
the roof, or by a passage sometimes twenty feet in 
length, through the entire distance of which one was 
compelled to crawl. 


85 


CHAPTER VII 


The Cliff Village on the Rio Mancos 

Nothing prevented our friends from again taking up 
the pursuit early next morning under the guidance of 
Colorado Bill. Although an excellent scout, he had 
great trouble in tracing the tracks of Joseph Smith’s 
party, and before long even these faint traces entirely 
disappeared, and he was considerably mortified at his 
inability to follow the fugitives. 

“ Hap,” he said to his young friend, “ these fellows 
know the country so tarnation well thet they kin fool 
any one tryin’ to prance arter them. They kin even 
gallop along the bottom of the canons where naterally 
a feller kain’t find them.” 

“ If that is so, Bill, and Awake-in-the-Night has 
told the truth when he said they had gone to the Mesa 
Verde, why not go straight for the mesa? You believe 
Awake-in-the-Night has told the truth, do you not? ” 

“ In course I do.” 

“ Then don’t you think it would be best to do as I 
suggest? ” 

“ Thet be a good idee, Hap,” replied Bill. “ Let’s 
see what the gentlemen say about it.” 

Calling the men together, Bill said : 

“ Gentlemen, I’m free to tell ye I hev lost the tracks 
of these fellers. Hap here asks me if it wouldn’t be 
86 


The Jaws of Death 

best to go direct to thet thar mesa the Injun says they 
be bound fer. As fer me, I agree with Hap. What do 
ye say? ” 

After a brief consultation it was agreed to make for 
the Mesa Verde, not directly, but to go first to the 
mining town of Durango, Colo., where they could 
make inquiries among the miners as to whether a 
party of Mormons and Indians had recently been seen 
anywhere in the neighborhood. 

Durango, the capital of La Platte County, Colo., is 
situated about forty miles south of Silverton, at the 
intersection of the Denver & Rio Grande and the Rio 
Grande & Southern Railroads. There are coal mines 
in the neighborhood, and since this part of the State has 
also many valuable mines of gold, silver, iron, and cop- 
per, there are many smelters, etc. The town is situated 
about sixty-eight miles east-northeast of the extreme 
southwestern corner of the State. 

When they reached Durango they were fortunate in 
finding several prospectors who had come in from the 
southwest. These men reported having seen a band of 
Mormons and Indians in a portion of the Mesa Verde 
through which flows the Rio Mancos, a tributary of the 
San Juan. They had a glimpse of two white men in 
company with the Indians and had tried to talk with 
them, but the Indians prevented any conversation by 
hurrying off with the white men. 

On leaving Durango they reached the Mesa Verde 
at some little distance from the headwaters of the Rio 
Mancos, working their way down this stream toward 

87 


The Jaws of Death 

its discharge into the San Juan. Their progress was 
necessarily slow by reason of their ignorance of the 
character of the country, as well as by the dense vege- 
tation that covered some portions. It was a region 
Colorado Bill had never before visited; however, he 
guided them well, though it was frequently necessary 
to retrace their steps to avoid impassable canons. They 
were men who were not readily turned back by diffi- 
culties, so they kept on, following at times the banks of 
the streams in the canons, and at times moving over the 
irregular land near the top of the mesa. 

One day, while on their way down the Mancos, they 
reached a point where they saw something that greatly 
surprised them. Engleman, Christian, Happy, Rob, 
and Colorado Bill were together. They had been 
slowly forcing a passage through a dense tangle of 
scrub oak, and had reached a grove of spruce trees 
growing closely together. They were going cautiously 
because this was a district in which at any moment 
they might reach the precipitous walls of a deep canon, 
and this they knew from experience was especially apt 
to occur in regions where the better soil and the 
moister air from the canons permitted a more vigorous 
vegetable growth. 

As was common in such cases, the members of the 
party were at irregular distances apart. Colorado Bill 
and Happy were leading, followed at some distance by 
Engleman and Christian, and finally by Rob and Nor- 
man. Bill came to a sudden standstill and exclaimed : 

“ Well, Ell be jiggered.” 

88 


The Jaws of Death 

Happy smiled at the guide’s expression, as he said : 
“ What has struck you, Bill ? ” 

“ Touch me, Hap. I wanter know whether I’m 
awake or asleep.” 

“ What’s hobbling you ? ” inquired Happy. 

“ Look fer yerself,” replied Bill, pointing across the 
opposite side of the canon, which was in the neighbor- 
hood of about a mile from where they were standing. 
“ Then ef ye wanter ask me what hobbles me I’ll try 
ter tell ye.” 

Happy saw something that surprised him even more 
than it had Bill. There, in the full sunshine, on the 
other side of the canon, were ruins of so wonderful a 
character that, like Bill, Happy began to wonder 
whether he had not fallen asleep, and if what he saw 
was not merely a dream; for there could be seen the 
ruins, not of a single cliff house, nor even of a row of 
houses, but of what at one time had evidently been a 
large and populous village. Moreover, it had evidently 
been a fortified village, for at either end were the ruins 
of towers of dressed stones well fitted together. The 
spaces between the towers were occupied by groups of 
houses of two, three, and four stories. All the win- 
dows were comparatively small, as if to render it dif- 
ficult for enemies to enter through them. 

By this time Engleman and Christian had reached 
them. 

“What surprises you?” they asked as they ap- 
proached Bill and Happy and saw the expression of 
their faces. 


89 


The Jaws of Death 

Happy said nothing, but merely pointed across the 
canon to the extensive ruins. 

“ I do not wonder you are surprised/’ remarked 
Christian. “ Joe,” he said, turning to Engleman, 
“ what do you think of that? Is it not wonderful ? ” 

“ It seems almost incredible, John,” replied Engle- 
man. “ It is clearly the ruins of a fortified village, de- 
serted many generations ago by the people who built it. 
Did you know there were such ruins in this locality ? ” 

“ I have an indistinct recollection of reading about 
this place,” said Christian. “ I think it is one of a 
number of ruins that were discovered by one of the 
Wetherils, a family of white people who have a ranch 
in the lower lands of the Colorado south of the Mesa 
Verde. In December, 1888, while searching for stray 
cattle, one of them discovered the ruins of a remark- 
able fortified village. They had been working their 
way through a dense thicket of scrub oak. When they 
reached the edge of a steep canon, near a grove of 
sturdy spruce trees, such as we find here to-day, they 
saw the ruins of the village on the opposite side of the 
canon. There are several other similar ruins in this 
part of the Mancos Valley, one of which is called the 
Cliff Palace ; but whether it is the ‘ Cliff Palace ’ or 
the ‘ Spruce Tree House ’ we are looking at, I do not 
know.” 

“ How did the people who lived in that village reach 
their houses?” inquired Rob, who was now standing 
near them. 

“ Possibly from below, Rob,” replied Engleman. 

90 


The Jaws of Death 

“ Although the buildings have been erected on narrow 
horizontal ledges, on the sides of walls that are almost 
perpendicular for many hundreds of feet, yet, as you 
can see, there are inclined spaces below where it might 
be possible to find paths to the foot of the precipice. 
From this point they might enter the houses by lower- 
ing ladders made of tough fibers. When these lad- 
ders were drawn up the people in the village would be 
safe from their enemies.” 

“ It doesn’t look as if the houses could be approached 
from above, Uncle Joseph,” said Norman. “ They 
are so far below the top of the mesa. One could never 
get down the steep walls above the houses, and even 
if they did,” he added, “ the overhanging rock pro- 
jects so far beyond the precipice on which the houses 
are built that they could never reach the place from 
above.” 

Happy, who had been listening closely to what Nor- 
man had said, turning to the professor, remarked : 

“ But they may have got in from above for all that, 
may they not?” 

“What makes you think so?” inquired Professor 
Engleman. 

“ Look at the big cave back of the houses. It evi- 
dently extends some distance into the soft rock, I was 
thinking that possibly there might be a passageway 
through the cave to the city from above.” 

“ I kain’t say whether ye be right or not, Hap,” re- 
plied Colorado Bill, grinning, “ but I reckon it be very 
likely. I hev heerd of sich things being done in other 
9i 


The Jaws of Death 

places. But I am free to confess I hev never seen any 
place ez big ez what lies over thar on the other side of 
the canon.” 

“ Of course there are no people living in those 
ruined houses now,” remarked Norman. 

“ I’m not so sure of that,” said Happy. 

“ Why do you say that ? ” inquired Mr. Christian, 
who knew the boy was not apt to make such an as- 
sertion unless he had some reason for doing so. 

“ Because,” replied Happy, “ I see smoke coming 
from the ruins.” 

“ Where, Happy ? ” inquired both Engleman and 
Christian eagerly. 

“ Between the foot of the ruined tower and the wall 
of the precipice. Can’t you see it, Bill ? ” 

“ Yes,” said Bill with a grin, “ I kin see smoke com- 
ing from the identical place Hap hez pinted out.” 

It was some time before either Mr. Engleman or Mr. 
Christian could see the smoke ; but at last, by the use of 
field-glasses, they were able to distinguish it. 

“ Do you think there are any people over there, 
Joe? ” inquired Christian. 

“ I imagine that there must be a fire to produce 
smoke, although, of course, the fire might be of chemi- 
cal origin, or it may be caused by the earth’s interior 
heat; for, as you know, John, this is a region of ex- 
tinct volcanoes. But I don’t believe it is due to either 
of these causes. Can either of you see any people 
around the ruins ? ” 

“ I kain’t see any,” remarked Bill. 

92 


The Jaws of Death 

“ Nor can I,” said Happy. 

Happy then began examining the ruins with his 
glasses, as did also Mr. Christian and Professor En- 
gleman. Although they could see the smoke more dis- 
tinctly, yet no sign of life could be seen. 

“ No wonder we did not see the smoke easily, Joe,” 
said Mr. Christian. “ It is a very small fire that is 
causing it. I am almost disposed to think it is the 
smoke from a number of cigarettes or pipes. I doubt 
whether we could see it at all were it not for the black 
background of the cave.” 

“ The cave seems to extend far back into the cliff,” 
remarked the professor. 

Naturally the question arose as to whether they 
should take time to examine the ruins. There was a 
possibility of people being there, from the presence of 
the smoke. Might it not be the people they had been 
following who occasionally used it for a dwelling? 

“ We should make an examination of that place, 
John,” said Engleman, “ first from above, and after- 
ward from below. But here come Petromelinski and 
Blank, Francksen and the others. Let us see what they 
would advise.” 

In a few moments they joined them. Their astonish- 
ment was equal to that of the others. Both Petrome- 
linski and Blank at once called attention to the smoke 
issuing from the ground near the tower. They were 
close observers, as their calling necessitated. 

“ Looks as if some one was over there, Ivan,” said 
Blank, turning to his friend. 

93 


The Jaws of Death 

“ It does,” was the reply; “ but that is not wonderful. 
I understand that ruins in this district are often used 
by prospectors, cowpunchers, cattle thieves, or out- 
laws.” 

“ Do you think it worth our while to try to examine 
the ruins, Blank ? ” inquired Engleman. 

“ Of course I think it worth our while to examine the 
ruins,” was the reply. “ We are looking for a lot of 
fellows who are almost sure to be living in some such 
out-of-the-way place. It appears to be hard enough to 
get at, and is large enough to shelter them, no matter 
how big a crowd they may get together. I say, there- 
fore, of course it is worth our while to examine the 
ruins. What do you say, Ivan ? ” he added. 

“ I agree with you,” was the reply. “ We have in- 
formation from Awake-in-the-Night that the people 
we are looking for are in the Mesa Verde. Well, we’re 
in the Mesa Verde now, are we not? And we have 
been told that they are in deserted cliff dwellings. 
Well, here are the deserted dwellings all right. It is 
not likely that these people would take the trouble to 
build houses for themselves. They are more likely to 
use those already built. Don’t you think so ? ” he 
asked Blank. 

“ Of course I think so,” was the reply. “ And it is 
just such a place as the one we are looking at that they 
are likely to use. So we must examine it, and we must 
do so carefully. Unless we can surprise them they may 
again escape.” 

After consultation they determined to make a careful 

94 


The Jaws of Death 

examination of the cliff dwelling, at the same time leav- 
ing two of their companions to lie quietly on the 
ground in the grove of trees, and closely watch the 
place and its neighborhood. Happy and Petromelinski 
were selected to do this, while the others, led by Colo- 
rado Bill, left to examine first the canon immediately 
below the cliff dwellings and afterward the mesa above. 

The man and the lad lay under the spruce trees 
watching the ruins for several hours. At last, Happy, 
turning to his companion, said : 

“ I hear footsteps. I don’t think they are the steps 
of any of our party.” 

“ I agree with you, my lad. We will lie still and 
wait,” said Petromelinski. 

The footsteps approached, and soon Awake-in-the- 
Night came to where they were lying and at once 
threw himself on the ground, as if he feared he might 
be observed by some one in the cliff houses. 

Without waiting for either of them to speak, Awake- 
in-the-Night turned to Happy and said : 

“ Indian great friend of Smile-on-his-Face. Come 
to say that the white men you are looking for are 
with Mormons and Indians over there,” pointing to the 
ruins. “ Awake-in-the-Night will show Smile-on-his- 
Face and his friends how to reach them.” 

“ Will you go with us, Awake-in-the-Night?” in- 
quired Happy. 

“ Awake-in-the-Night heap big Indian,” said Pe- 
tromelinski, in an effort to reach the man’s vanity. 
“ White man’s guide, Bill, good, but not so good as 
95 


The Jaws of Death 

Awake-in-the-Night. If Awake-in-the-Night go with 
us we’ll find the place.” 

“ Awake-in-the-Night will not go with white men 
now,” said the Indian in a decided tone. “ Best not to 
let Indians know he is leading the men who are pursu- 
ing them. Indian of more use to his white friends if 
he stays with the others for a while. But I will show 
your friends the way to the ruins.” 

“Where are the white men kept?” inquired Pe- 
tromelinski. 

“ Two white men kept in room in tower house,” he 
said, pointing to where Happy had seen the smoke is- 
suing. 

Happy told Awake-in-the-Night what his compan- 
ions were endeavoring to do. 

“ Then Awake-in-the-Night will wait until white 
men return,” he said. 

The three men remained on the watch for many 
hours, when the quick ear of the Indian heard them 
coming. Turning to Happy, he said: 

“ Friends of Smile-on-his-Face coming.” 

There were great rejoicings when the others saw 
Awake-in-the-Night, who cautioned them from coming 
up to the side of the canon. 

“ People over there may see you,” he said. 

When they learned that Awake-in-the-Night was 
ready to show them how the houses could be entered, 
both from above and below, it was agreed that Happy 
and Petromelinski should continue watching while the 
others went off with Awake-in-the-Night. 

96 


The Jaws of Death 

Happy and Petromelinski remained on watch for 
several hours. At last, as they both grew very thirsty, 
Petromelinski said to his companion: 

“ Wait for me here, Happy. I’ll go and fill my 
water-bottle at a spring I noticed half a mile from here. 
Give me your bottle and I’ll fill it also.” 

Petromelinski returned in less than half an hour, 
but no traces were to be seen of Happy. He had dis- 
appeared. The ground near the place where he had 
been lying had been trampled in a very curious man- 
ner, as if there had been a struggle. 


\ 


G 


97 


CHAPTER VIII 


Happy Captured by the Pueblo Shamans 

Before explaining what had happened during the ab- 
sence of Petromelinski, it will be necessary to describe 
in detail an incident apparently unimportant in itself, 
but which, when connected with subsequent events, 
exerted a considerable influence on the fortunes of our 
young friend. 

Like all active, growing boys, Happy found it diffi- 
cult to remain idle while keeping watch with Petrome- 
linski. The two watchers could talk freely with each 
other, and even move around a little, provided they 
did not permit their bodies to extend far above the 
ground. 

Much of the time was spent in conversing, Pe- 
tromelinski giving Happy accounts of some of his most 
important cases in Russia. He found it pleasant to 
talk to the lad, who was a good listener and bright 
enough to take in all he heard. Naturally, the con- 
versation drifted from Russia to Colorado and its 
curious population of Indians, Mormons, and the cos- 
mopolitan character of its mining towns and districts. 
He especially spoke about the kind of people who 
probably composed the fugitives. At last the conversa- 
tion ceased, and Happy was left to his own devices to 
pass away the time. This he did in various ways. 

98 


The Jaws of Death 

After half an hour, Happy took from one of the 
pockets of his coat a few well-worn leaves of an ele- 
mentary book, intended for teaching the English lan- 
guage. Selecting a leaf that was covered with the 
letters of the alphabet, he took out his penknife and, 
placing the leaf on a flat stone, commenced cutting out 
little pieces of paper containing one letter each. They 
were small letters, so that when thus cut out they 
formed, approximately, half-inch squares. 

I imagine I can hear some of my older readers ob- 
jecting to this incident as exceedingly improbable. 

“ Why,” they ask, “ should a bright boy like Happy 
be monkeying in this way with the English alpha- 
bet? ” 

I acknowledge that such a thought might easily arise 
in the mind of one not well acquainted with the pecu- 
liarities of boys, especially bright boys; but one who 
is willing to hazard any opinion, based on the assump- 
tion that all boys are practically alike, will most cer- 
tainly be apt to err. It was not only natural that 
Happy should have such material in his pocket, but 
also that he should take the trouble to cut them out 
separately as he had been doing, as the following ex- 
planation will show. 

A warm friendship had sprung up between Bill and 
the young lad he had instructed in shooting and riding 
while on the Texas ranch. This friendship had so in- 
creased that the two were frequently together. Bill 
was proud not only of the ability of Happy to shoot 
and ride, but especially of the strides he had made 
99 


The Jaws of Death 

mentally. Though delighted when Happy talked with 
him in the dialect of the cowboys of the Southwest, 
Bill especially liked to hear the lad using what he 
called “ pooty ” talk. 

Nor is it surprising that Bill began to hunger after 
an education for himself. He often found himself 
wondering whether it would not be possible for a 
bright boy like Happy to teach him to read and write. 

One day, while in the Colorado Desert, Bill said : 

“ I reckon, Hap, ye hev no trouble in readin’ print or 
in writin’ on paper.” 

“ What makes you trot out that question, Bill ? ” in- 
quired the lad. 

“ I was a wondering,” was the reply, “ whether 
there’d be a chance fer an old mount like me to larn 
how to do sich things ? ” 

“ Of course you could learn, Bill,” was the reply. 
“ I am sure I could teach you to read and write if you 
are willing to canter hard enough.” 

“ And will ye larn me how to read and write, Hap? ” 
inquired Bill eagerly. 

“ Cert,” was the reply. “ Glad to do it. I will try 
to get a book containing the letters of the alphabet 
and some simple words at the first large town we pass 
through.” 

“ I hev done thet already, Hap,” exclaimed Bill with 
a bashful smile, drawing out of his pocket and hand- 
ing to the lad a primer he had obtained. 

It was well thumbed and worn. Bill had evidently 
spent much time in puzzling over its contents when he 
ioo 


The Jaws of Death 

could do so without being seen ; for he was proud and 
unwilling to let others discover his ignorance. 

u Been at it already, Bill ? ” inquired Happy, smi- 
ling. “ How far did you get? ” 

“ Couldn’t make head or tail out of the bloomin’ 
layout,” was the reply. “ Could onderstand the pic- 
ters, but not what the marks under them meant.” 

Happy gladly undertook to teach Bill. Under his 
instruction his pupil had already learned the letters of 
the alphabet, and could even spell familiar words. 
To aid in doing this, Happy had adopted the plan of 
having Bill spell a word, pick out the letters required 
to represent it, place them in their proper order, and 
then copy them down on a sheet of paper. In this 
way he combined instruction in the alphabet with spell- 
ing and writing. 

When Petromelinski saw what the lad was doing, he 
inquired with surprise: 

“ What are you up to, my lad ? I know you are 
not studying the alphabet again. I imagine that you 
are planning to play some trick with the letters you 
have cut out ? ” 

“ Please do not ask me to say either yes or no,” was 
the reply. Unwilling to give Bill away, he did not 
volunteer any further information, but went on cut- 
ting out the letters until he had quite a number to- 
gether, when he carefully placed them in the right- 
hand pocket of his coat. 

“ Hello,” he said, rather to himself, as he slipped 
them in place, “ the sewing in the seam of this pocket 


The Jaws of Death 

is beginning to rip. I’ll have to fix it when I again 
reach my pack and get a thread and needle, or I’ll be 
losing things.” 

After an additional wait of half an hour they began 
to grow thirsty, all the water in their bottles having 
been consumed. 

It was at this time, as recounted, that Petromelinski 
had gone to fill their water-bottles. He had not been 
gone longer than five minutes when Happy was sur- 
prised by hearing light footsteps back of him. Be- 
fore he could turn and draw his revolver his hands 
were held firmly by two Pueblo Indians. They, were 
splendidly built men, and looked with smiling faces at 
the lad. One of them said in fairly good English : 

“ White lad has no reason to fear. Indian medicine 
men his friends. Will take him away to where they 
live and make medicine man of him.” 

The other Indian also assured Happy that he had 
no reason for being afraid. 

It must not be supposed that the lad willingly sub- 
mitted to what had happened. As was but natural, he 
struggled to escape, but unsuccessfully, for both In- 
dians were strong men. He then began thinking how 
he could best leave tracks by which his friends could 
follow his captors. He was certain that on the return 
of Petromelinski, which in all probability would be 
shortly, Bill and the rest of his friends would be told 
of his disappearance, and that efforts would then be 
made to free him. While he was struggling with them 
102 


The Jaws of Death 

he thought of a plan, and made a number of plain 
tracks in the direction in which the men were hurry- 
ing off with him. He then began to think how he 
might leave traces all along the road. From what he 
had heard about the shamans, he knew that they pos- 
sessed an intelligence considerably in excess of almost 
any of the other Indians, so that, unless he was care- 
ful in any plan for leaving traces, they would dis- 
cover what he was trying to do and prevent it. 

Just as he was being dragged away from the edge 
of the precipice where he had been with Petromelinski, 
he saw lying on the ground, almost covered by the soil 
that had been disturbed during the struggle, one of the 
letters as a piece of good luck. 

The sight of the letter gave him a splendid idea, and 
in accordance with his custom he began rapidly to con- 
sider the many directions in which he could regard the 
letter as a piece of good luck. As was natural to him, 
he began to smile, and this smile continually changed 
as he began to think carefully over the manner in 
which he would use the letter. 

“ If I could only get my right hand free so as to slip 
it in the pocket of my coat I could let the letters drop, 
one after another. I am sure Bill would have no diffi- 
culty in following me, as I am sure he will try to do. 
He’ll know just what these letters mean, and will know 
that I have left them ; for he will recognize the letters 
he has used in his studies. He will certainly know how 
to use them.” 

The Indians, who had been closely watching the lad, 
103 


The Jaws of Death 

were both surprised and pleased at the smiles that 
played upon his face. To them these smiles displayed 
great bravery. They had made no mistake in their se- 
lection. Here was a lad who, instead of bemoaning his 
capture, was actually smiling. It was personal bravery 
of a high type, and this was something they greatly 
esteemed. 

They therefore began talking to each other in the 
Pueblo language, which of course Happy could not 
understand; and then, as if wishing to assure the lad 
he had nothing to fear, said : 

“ White lad should be glad he can learn to be a 
shaman. Many Indian lads want to be shamans, but 
not bright enough. White lad all right.” 

They then began to tell him that their gods, “ The 
Trues,” had commanded them to look for a white lad 
they would find in this part of the country and take 
him to where they lived in the south, adopt him into 
their tribe, and make him one of their medicine men. 

When he saw that his captors were disposed to be 
pleasant Happy concluded to be pleasant himself, and 
in this way try to win their confidence. He therefore 
turned to the shaman who first spoke, and who was 
evidently of higher rank than the other, and inquired : 

“ Will it take me long to learn to be a shaman ? ” 

“ Heap long,” was the reply. “ Much to learn. But 
not so long for white lad as for Indian lad.” 

He then asked after a few moments : 

“ What does a shaman do ? ” 

The men, pleased that the lad was becoming in- 
104 


The Jaws of Death 

terested, entered into a long description of the great 
influence the shamans had in their tribes, and the many 
wonderful things The Trues gave them power to 
perform. 

After they had spoken to him for about ten minutes, 
Happy said : 

“ You are holding my arms so tight you hurt them. 
You are not afraid to free them, are you?” 

The Indians laughed at the thought of being afraid 
of so young a lad, and at once freed both arms, at 
the same time saying gravely : 

“ White lad must not try to run away or Indians 
will kill him with their rifles.” 

But Happy had gained what he wished. Instead of 
attempting to escape, he put his right hand into the 
pocket of his coat that contained the cut letters, and 
slipping a finger through the weak point in the seam of 
the pocket, he let one of the letters fall through the 
opening. Since the lining had not been fastened to 
the bottom of the coat, he knew the letter would 
gradually work its way down and reach the ground 
without, he hoped, being seen by the shamans. This 
was the only uncertain thing about his plan. Would 
they see the letter fall ? It is true it was small, but they 
were men who were accustomed to see what was going 
on around them. He therefore anxiously waited to 
see if they had detected him. Fortunately, they did 
not. At intervals of four or five minutes he let one 
after another fall out of his coat pocket. 

It was indeed strange that observant men like the 
105 


The Jaws of Death 

shamans had not noticed what the lad was doing. But 
they were so intent on talking to him and watching 
his face that they failed to see the occasional letter 
as it dropped to the ground. Probably another rea- 
son was that, during the daylight in order to reduce 
the chances of the paper being observed, Happy care- 
fully rolled each letter loosely so as to make it into 
a pellet. 

His captors proceeded at a rapid rate without paus- 
ing. They were especially pleased to find the lad was 
able to follow them without showing any signs of ex- 
haustion. During all this journey they had continued 
talking with him in a friendly tone, in order the better 
to gain his confidence. 

It was evident to Happy that his captors, although 
intelligent men, were exceedingly superstitious. From 
what they told him, it was clear that the inanimate 
objects they passed were regarded as possessing life. 
To them the wind, according to its varying sounds, 
was either the whispering speech of their gods or the 
voices of evil spirits sent to harass them. The stars 
were the eyes of their gods looking down on them 
from above. They appeared to live, as it were, in an 
imaginary world peopled with many imaginary beings. 

At several places they came across objects before 
which they always stopped a few moments, apparently 
praying to their gods. These objects consisted of twigs 
stuck into the ground. At the top of the twigs a plume 
of bright-colored feathers had been fixed, such as the 
feathers of parrots, that Happy learned afterward were 
106 


The Jaws of Death 

brought for this purpose from Mexico. The brighter 
the colors the more highly did they prize them, since 
such feathers constituted what they called “ good 
medicine.” 

At first Happy had much difficulty in understanding 
what made his captors treat the nodding plumes with 
such respect. At last the Indians succeeded in explain- 
ing to him that when they prayed to The Trues above, 
the spirits in the feathers heard them, and that when 
the wind afterward shook the feathers, the spirits re- 
peated their prayers ; that they, therefore, had a better 
chance of being heard, since the feathers would go on 
praying for them for days and weeks after they had 
gone by. 

“ The feathers,” said Happy to himself, “ are like 
the prayer wheels I remember reading about as being 
used by the Brahmins in India. They write long 
prayers on slips of paper and place them inside a hol- 
low wheel, shaped something like a squirrel cage, and 
believe that every time the wheel is turned around all 
the prayers on the papers are sent aloft to their gods.” 

It was about three in the afternoon when Happy had 
been hurried by his captors from the side of the canon 
toward the south. Night was approaching and the 
stars were coming out, but his captors did not slacken 
their speed until near midnight. 

During all this journey Happy had not failed to 
carefully note the direction in which he was being 
taken. He did this by the sun and other objects dur- 
ing daylight, and by the stars during the night. 

107 


The Jaws of Death 

It is needless to say that Happy did not fail to liber- 
ate occasionally a letter from his pocket, only at night 
it was not necessary to crumble them into a small space, 
or to make occasionally a deep imprint of his feet in 
the right direction by pretending to stumble. 

It was about half an hour before midnight when the 
Indians stopped. Offering the lad some parched corn 
to eat and bringing him a drink of water from a 
spring in the neighborhood, one said, pointing to the 
ground : 

“ White lad sleep till morning, then shamans go 
with him to their home.” 

“ Is it far from here? ” inquired Happy. 

“ No,” was the reply. “ Reach it when the sun is 
there,” pointing immediately overhead. 

Happy was so tired by the long journey that, al- 
though he had fully intended to remain awake in the 
hope that he might make his escape, he soon fell into 
a sound sleep from which he was awakened when the 
sun was just appearing above the horizon. After a 
hurried breakfast and a drink from the spring, they 
again took up their journey, and shortly before noon 
reached a Pueblo settlement on the top of a high butte. 

The arrival of two of their principal shamans with 
a white captive caused no little excitement among the 
people, but they were satisfied when informed that the 
white lad was to be adopted into the tribe and taught 
to be a shaman. 


108 


The Jaws of Death 

Turning to Happy, the Indian guide said : 

“ Come with us. We will take you to our holy place 
where the other shamans are.” 

The place referred to was an estufa. It consisted of 
a dome-shaped underground room, approached from 
above by means of a ladder. The Indians cautioned 
Happy to keep silent and to follow them when they 
reached the bottom of the ladder. Happy followed 
them down a ladder that led him into a room that was 
dark except for what they told him was the sacred fire, 
which they endeavored to keep continually burning. 

On reaching the ground, the shamans guided him 
first to the north and then around a circle of the room 
to the west, the south, the east, and back again to the 
north. They assured him that if any one dared to 
move around the estufa in any other direction he would 
be instantly killed by witches or by evil spirits sent by 
The Trues. 

The air of the estufa was far from pleasant, being 
filled with tobacco smoke from their pipes. This room, 
as indeed he afterward discovered in most of the 
houses of the Pueblos, was kept scrupulously clean, and 
the air during the middle of the day was far cooler 
than the heated air outside. 

A number of other shamans sitting around the fire, 
smoking gravely, welcomed the lad when the chief sha- 
man told them who he was and what they intended 
doing with him. 


109 


CHAPTER IX 

The Flight from the Cliff Village 

Although, when A wake-in- the-Night led the parties 
of Engleman and Francksen toward the cliff village, 
he first took them to the bottom of the canon, he did 
this only to be able to reach the other side; instead 
of guiding them directly toward the ruins from below, 
he began slowly to climb the opposite slope. To do 
this he had been obliged to take them to a point 
higher up the stream where the slope could more 
readily be scaled. 

“ First show white men how to reach the cave from 
above,” he said. 

“ Is it easier to reach the place from above or from 
below?” inquired Engleman. 

“ Heap easier above,” was the reply. 

Their guide evidently feared they might be seen. 
He was constantly on the alert, requesting them to 
walk in single file, to step lightly, and to keep silent. 

“ Maybe Joe Smith and some of his Indians come 
and see you,” he said. “ Follow Awake-in-the-Night 
and say nothing.” 

They silently followed their guide until they reached 
the top of the mesa on the opposite side of the canon, 
about two hundred feet to the east of the cliff village. 
Here, as was not uncommon in those portions of the 
no 


The Jaws of Death 

country, the harder sandstone forming the surface 
strata had split almost vertically, but inclined some- 
what toward the wall of the canon. 

“ Get in here,” said the Indian, stopping at the crack. 

Colorado Bill, who was next to the Indian, pointing 
at the small opening, remarked: 

“ Kin a feller git in the cave thar ? ” 

The Indian did not think it necessary to answer this 
question, since he had already pointed to it as the place 
of entrance. Nor indeed did Bill expect any answer. 
What he said was not really a question. It was rather 
an exclamation of surprise at so narrow a fissure 
being the opening to the cliff village below. 

The upper sandstone was broken here and there by 
a number of nearly vertical fissures, through some of 
which molten rock had been forced up from below, 
forming, when cooled, the black basalt common in 
that section. The particular fissure at which Awake- 
in-the-Night had stopped had not been filled with 
molten rock and extended down for a short distance 
only. 

Instead of draining off over the edge of the preci- 
pice at this point, the water escaped, at least to some 
extent, through the cracks and, in the curious way that 
often marks the shapes of erosion surfaces, had worn 
off the edge of the sandstone from above much less 
than from below. Therefore, while a comparatively 
narrow crevice had been left at the surface, the fissure 
rapidly broadened beneath. Moreover, the fact that 
the sandstone dipped or inclined slightly toward the 
hi 


The Jaws of Death 

canon, had enabled the water to wear out a space 
between the surface and a short distance below the 
surface, that left an area extending in either direc- 
tion farther than any of them could see. 

The Indian led the way down a number of rough 
steps that had been cut in the walls of the fissure in 
the sandstone. This he did for some distance, until 
the hard sandstone was no longer to be seen and a 
rock was reached that was evidently much softer. See- 
ing this, Professor Engleman said to Mr. Christian, 
who was immediately back of him: 

“ We have left the sandstone, John, and are entering 
the shale.” 

“ Yes, I noticed that. We are now at about the level 
of the top of the cave.” 

The nearly vertical fissure stopped abruptly at the 
lower part of the sandstone, where it rested on the 
shale. The Indian now began examining a number of 
openings that had been cut through the soft shale. 
Beckoning to his companions to follow him, he stooped 
down and began crawling through one of them. It was 
so narrow that he was obliged to lie flat on the ground. 
After passing in this way through a distance of about 
ten feet the opening increased in height, and they came 
to an inclined passage of sufficient height to permit 
them to stand erect. Both Engleman and Christian, 
accustomed as they were to working underground, had 
been estimating the distance passed through. 

“ From the rate at which we have been going, John,” 
said Engleman, “ we should soon reach the top of the 
1 12 


The Jaws of Death 

lower sandstone. I mean the sandstone on which most 
of the buildings of the village have been erected.” 

“ I have come to the same conclusion, Joe,” was the 
reply. 

The passageway through which they were walking 
had been dug out in the soft shale, and was about six 
feet in height and three feet in width. At last it 
suddenly opened into a cave so wide that they could not 
begin to see the walls that bounded it to their right 
and left. As Engleman had predicted, they had 
reached the top of the lower sandstone. Here Awake- 
in-the-Night, turning to his companions, placed his 
hand on his lips to ask for their silence. 

Directly in front of them a dim light could be seen. 
As they correctly supposed, it was the back of the 
cave they had reached ; for, pointing toward the light, 
Awake-in-the-Night said : 

“ Cave city there. Wait till Awake-in-the-Night 
sees if men are still there.” 

It was a weird place to which he had taken them. 
While in the fissure in the sandstone enough light had 
entered to permit them to see surrounding objects, 
although somewhat indistinctly as they went farther 
from the surface. But here, in the tunneling in the 
softer shale, they were in absolute darkness, and even 
when they reached the place in front of the cave the 
only light they had was the dim light coming from 
what they were told was the front of the cave. They 
were well armed, however, and able to take care of 
themselves. They could not but feel that if Awake-in- 
h 113 


The Jaws of Death 

the-Night had been playing them false, it would be 
easy for their enemies to shoot them down from the 
many positions in the cave from which, while they 
themselves might be readily seen, their enemies would 
be invisible. 

It was fully fifteen minutes before their guide re- 
turned. He then gave them an astonishing piece of in- 
formation that greatly discouraged them. 

“ The two white men you seek no longer here. 
Taken away by Joe Smith and Indians last night.” 

It must not be forgotten that all the way from their 
camp in the Colorado Desert in southeastern Califor- 
nia, near the mesa they called the “ Mesa of Rob’s 
Dream,” they had been pursuing Joseph Smith and his 
companions, with Rob’s grandfather and father, as 
they had reason to believe. At last they had traced 
them to the Mesa Verde, and had located them in the 
cave in which they were now standing. It had seemed 
as if the long pursuit was at last about to come to an 
end, when they would be able to free their friends. 
When, therefore, they were told that they were no 
longer there but had been taken on ahead, they were 
greatly disappointed. Seeing that they wished to con- 
verse, Awake-in-the-Night motioned them to follow 
him, leading them to a place situated on the same level, 
but several hundred feet east of the opening, then he 
said : 

“ Now white men can speak heap without being 
heard. But don’t speak loud.” 

1 14 


The Jaws of Death 

“ In what direction have the two white men been 
taken? ” inquired Engleman of the Indian. 

Awake-in-the-Night pointed to a direction that as 
far as they could judge from their remembrance of the 
position of the cave was toward the northwest. 

“ Were both of the white men in good health, 
Awake-in-the-Night? ” inquired Rob anxiously. 

“ Yes,” was the reply. “ Indians tell Awake-in-the- 
Night both white men all right.” 

“ How many men went with them? ” inquired Blank. 

“ That’s what I’d like to know,” said Mr. Chris- 
tian. 

“ Awake-in-the-Night not certain,” was the reply, 
“ but thinks three white men and six Indians.” 

“ How far from here is the place to which they were 
taken ? ” inquired Blank. 

“ Four or five suns from here on fast horses and long 
runs,” was the reply. 

“ He means traveling rapidly a part of the night as 
well as the day,” said Christian, “ that it would re- 
quire four or five days to reach the place.” 

“ How many men are now in the cave ? ” inquired 
Bill of Awake-in-the-Night. 

“ Ten white men and thirty Indians,” was the reply. 

When the conversation reached this point, Bill, turn- 
ing to Professor Engleman, said : 

“ Cap, I don’t know how this here thing strikes 
you, but ez fer me I think we could talk more onder- 
standing like ef we got out of this place whar we 
kin see each other’s faces while we are chinning. Then 
ii5 


The Jaws of Death 

I don’t kere to stay here; if them Injun fellers should 
diskiver we are here they could pick us off one arter 
another, easy like.” 

“ I agree with you, Bill,” replied the professor. And 
then turning to Awake-in-the-Night, he said : “ Show 
us the way out of the cave.” 

Awake-in-the-Night led them to the surface, al- 
though by another path. The new path finally brought 
them to the edge of the same fissure as that at which 
they had entered. 

“ Now can talk heap,” he said. 

They began to discuss whether it was better to fight 
the people left in the cave or to follow the white men 
they had come all the way from the East to find. 

“ We are not only greatly outnumbered by these fel- 
lows,” said Mr. Blank, “ but are in a place with which 
we are not familiar. There are evidently many pas- 
sages that have been cut through the soft rock. If then 
we attempted to make a raid on the cave, we would 
probably be exposed to their fire from many different 
directions. For my part, I think we had better leave the 
fellows here and follow those who have gone ahead.” 

“ What do you think, Bill ? ” inquired Engleman of 
the scout. 

“ I agree with the gentleman wot has just spoken,” 
said Bill. “ In the fust place, them fellers hez more 
men than we hez. In the next place, we be in a bad 
place for fightin’,” and then turning to Awake-in-the- 
Night he inquired : “ Be thar many passages whar 
them fellers could git at us to shoot ? ” 

116 


if 


The Jaws of Death 

“ Heap many,” was the reply. “ This bad place for 
white men to fight in.” 

“ You have not said anything, John,” remarked 
Engleman. “ Let us hear what you think.” 

“ Were the two Gordons still with these fellows I 
should say fight, no matter how greatly they out- 
numbered us, or how bad the place we are in may be 
for fighting. But we have not come all the way from 
the East to fight Joe Smith’s Mormon band, or his In- 
dian crowd, but to rescue our friends. My advice, 
therefore, is that we leave the cave and follow the 
tracks of the party that has carried our friends away.” 

The professor now turned to Blank. It was not 
difficult from the expression of his countenance to see 
that he was endeavoring to reach some conclusion, but 
had been unsuccessful in such endeavors. 

“ Have you changed your opinion that we should 
follow the party that has taken away our friends, 
Blank ? I see you are apparently hesitating ? ” inquired 
the professor. 

“ Have I changed my opinion? ” said Blank; “ No, 
I have not changed my opinion. But there is one 
thing I can’t square. I understood you to tell me that 
you had been following Joseph Smith all the way from 
the Colorado Desert. You heard that they were bound 
for a certain highland in Colorado called the Mesa 
Verde. Well, you have tracked them to the Mesa 
Verde and now you hear they are again being carried 
away, this time to the northwest. Now, what I can’t 
square is this: Were they really running away from 
1 17 


The Jaws of Death 

you in the Colorado Desert, or did you only think they 
were ? ” 

Awake-in-the-Night had been listening intently to 
what Blank said : 

“ Joe Smith and his men not running away from 
you. Did not mean to stay here long. Know you 
were following him. Could have killed you all heap 
many times.” 

Colorado Bill was very angry when he heard what 
the Indian said : 

“ Then why didn’t the tarnation varmints kill us ef 
they could ? ” he inquired. 

“ Heap too many white men in mining camps,” was 
the reply. “ If they kill any of you, white men from 
camps shoot Mormons and Indians and kill them all 
quick.” 

“ I reckon thet’s whar yer right,” exclaimed Bill ; 
“ and I might hev seed it at fust, but I was mad like.” 

By further conversation with Awake-in-the-Night 
they learned that Joseph Smith, who had many mining 
claims in that section of the country, was obliged to 
raise money for working other claims, and was making 
negotiations with two capitalists from the East to 
purchase some of his properties. They learned also 
that it was not their presence in the neighborhood of 
the gold-mining claims in the Colorado Desert, as our 
friends had imagined, that had caused Smith and his 
party suddenly to leave for Colorado, but because word 
had reached him that the people from the East were 
on their way to examine some mining claims in south- 
118 


The Jaws of Death 

eastern Utah. Smith had gone direct to the Mesa 
Verde, where he had planned to remain only until 
word reached him that the Eastern men would shortly 
be in Utah; that this word had been sent sooner than 
he had expected, hence his sudden departure. 

“ Then,” said Engleman, “ Joe Smith has probably 
taken our friends away so that they may make a final 
report on the properties.” 

Having reached the determination to leave the men 
in the cave village and pursue the party that had gone 
off with their friends, they instructed Awake-in-the- 
Night to lead them back to the cliff where Petrome- 
linski and Happy had been left. 

Awake-in-the-Night seemed pleased to leave the 
neighborhood of the rear entrance to the cave village, 
because, as he told them, the men in the cave might 
at any time follow the party that had gone on ahead 
with the white prisoners. He, therefore, lost no time 
in leading them to the opposite side of the canon, 
several hundred feet from where they had left Pe- 
tromelinski and Happy. From this point the ruins of 
the cave village were invisible, but they could see much 
of the general surface for some distance toward the 
north and west. 

They had hardly reached the opposite slope when 
Awake-in-the-Night suddenly threw himself flat on the 
ground, motioning to his companions to do the same. 
Then without saying anything he pointed in the direc- 
tion of the vertical fissure by which entrance to the 
cave could be made. There, strung out in a long line, 
1 19 


The Jaws of Death 

were issuing the Mormons and the Apache Indians 
who had been left in the cave. They could see them 
without much danger of being seen by them. More- 
over, they could examine them with their glasses. The 
Mormons were leading and the Indians followed. In 
the midst of the Indians, as though they feared he 
might attempt to escape, they could see the fugitive 
Mashinsky. 

“ I’ll have that fellow yet,” said Blank. “ Although 
they are taking the man along with them, I am glad to 
see they are at the same time keeping an eye on him. 
Should he attempt to escape the Indians would shoot 
him. What do you say, Awake-in-the-Night? ” he 
added in a low tone to the Indian who was near him. 
“ Do you think he can get away ? ” 

“ Black-haired fellow no get away,” was the reply. 
“ Apaches say stay with us. Awake-in-the-Night think 
he stay.” 

They remained lying on the ground watching the 
party through their glasses until they disappeared in 
the northwest, when Blank, who had been looking in 
the direction of the place where their two friends had 
been left on watch, suddenly cried out : 

“ Here comes Petromelinski ! Won’t he be pleased 
when we tell him that Mashinsky has gone on ahead 
with the others ? ” 

“But where is Happy?” exclaimed Rob. “Why 
has he not come? I hope nothing is wrong.” 

“ But there is something wrong,” exclaimed Blank, 
who then observed an expression on Petromelinski’s 
120 


The Jaws of Death 

face that was seldom to be seen there. Like all great de- 
tectives, the Russian had almost complete command 
over his countenance. But a mere glance at that counte- 
nance made it clear that something had occurred which 
greatly worried him. 


* 


121 


CHAPTER X 


Colorado Bill on the Trail 

The Russian detective rapidly approached. The 
nearer he came the more evident it was that something 
had greatly disturbed him. Blank was so anxious to 
learn what this was that he started on a run toward 
the man, closely followed by the others. 

“ Where is Happy, Ivan? ” he exclaimed before the 
men had reached each other. 

“Yes, where is he, Mr. Petromelinski ? ” inquired 
Rob anxiously, as he closely followed. 

“ The boy has disappeared,” was the reply. “ I 
left him but for a few moments to fill our water- 
bottles at the spring below. On my return he was 
nowhere to be seen. Marks of a struggle have been 
left on the ground near the edge of the precipice where 
we had been lying. Some of these point distinctly to- 
ward the south, where perhaps he has been taken by 
his captors.” 

“ Do you think the trick has been done quiet like? ” 
inquired Bill eagerly. “ Hed thar been eny fightin’ ? 
Ef the lad hed time to draw his gun I reckon thar 
would be drops of blood around on the ground.” 

“ Come and see for yourself,” said Petromelinski. 
“ You and Awake-in-the-Night are more accustomed 
to reading such signs than I am.” 

122 


The Jaws of Death 

There was a rush toward the place where the capture 
had been made. Bill reached it first, followed by 
Awake-in-the-Night and Rob, with the others not far 
behind. In a few moments they were standing gazing 
earnestly at the marks on the ground. They appeared 
to point in all directions. To most of them these 
markings meant nothing; the separate marks did not 
appear to differ greatly. Not so however to Bill and 
A wake-in-the-N ight. 

“ Hap hez been took by two men,” said Bill, turn- 
ing to the Indian. 

The Indian nodded his head, indicating that he 
agreed, and added : 

“ Two Indians,” pointing to the marks of mocca- 
sins worn by Indians In the neighborhood. 

“ I reckon these fellers must hev come suddent on 
the lad,” said Bill, who had been carefully examining 
the ground in the neighborhood. “ Hap hadn’t time 
to draw his revolver or reach his rifle. Ef he hed thar 
would hev been something doin’. Sense I see no blood 
marks, I reckon he war took suddent. Kin ye see any 
blood marks ? ” he anxiously inquired of Awake-in-the- 
Night. 

“ Awake-in-the-Night find no blood marks.” 

But the trained eye of Bill now began to read in the 
tracks just what Happy intended he should. It was 
evident to him that many of them had been purposely 
made by the lad to show the direction in which he was 
being led away. The same thing too was evident to 
the Indian. 


123 


The Jaws of Death 

“ Hap be a cute one,” remarked Bill. “ He hez 
made them marks plain like so ez to show us whar he 
hez been took.” 

“ White lad heap bright,” agreed Awake-in-the- 
Night. “ Leaves marks that say to his friends, ‘ this 
way.’ ” 

Rob looked closely over the edge of the precipice to 
see if there were any signs of a body having fallen 
or having been thrown over the edge. 

“ Nothing has fallen or been thrown from here,” he 
said. “ I can see,” he added, “ the place where a body 
would have stopped if it had fallen or been thrown 
from above.” 

Rob’s companions crowded to the place where Rob 
was standing and eagerly examined the space below. 

“ You are right, Rob,” said Professor Engleman, 
“ there are no signs of a body having fallen or been 
thrown from above.” 

“ Thar be nothing there,” exclaimed Bill, after ex- 
amining both the space below and afterward the sur- 
face near the edge. “ And what be more, thar be no 
marks near the edge. What do you say to that, 
Awake-in-the-Night? ” 

The Indian, who had also been examining the edge, 
merely nodded his head to Bill, to say he agreed with 
him. 

Norman now espied the edge of one of the cut letters. 
It was the letter that had been almost covered by the 
loose soil that had been thrown up during the struggle, 
the letter the sight of which had given Happy the idea 
124 


The Jaws of Death 

of leaving them along the route as tracks for his 
friend Bill. Picking it up and handing it to Bill, Nor- 
man said : 

“ I wonder what this is ? ” 

Bill recognized it at a single glance. 

“ I know what thet be,” he exclaimed sadly. “ It 
was left here by Hap.” 

Seeing the look of wonder that came on the faces of 
those standing around him, he explained what the lad 
had been doing. Then turning suddenly to Engleman 
and Christian, he said : 

“ Now, then, gentlemen, we be here in an awful fix. 
The lad we all think so much of hez been carried away 
toward the south. The two white gentlemen you hev 
come all the way from the East to find hev been took 
toward the northwest. Now, I reckon, thar kin be no 
difference of opinion but thet we must foller arter both 
parties. We kain’t leave the lad, and we kain’t leave the 
white gentlemen. Hap hez been captured by two. The 
others by a many. Now listen to Colorado Bill : He 
beant larned like ye, but he kin foller tracks, and so kin 
Awake-in-the-Night. Ye go with Awake-in-the-Night 
and foller the fellers toward the northwest. I’ll go 
alone and foller the lad. Ez soon ez either of us find 
what we are arter, we’ll try to jine the others.” 

Petromelinski listened with wonder to what Bill had 
said about the two white men being carried off to the 
northwest. He did not understand him, but as soon as 
Bill finished speaking he inquired with surprise : 

“ What do you mean by that, Bill ? Don’t forget I 

125 


The Jaws of Death 

know nothing of what has happened since you left 
Happy and me on the edge here.” 

A few words sufficed to explain what had taken 
place, at least so far as the fact that a large party had 
been present in the cliff village for a day or more ; that 
some of them had carried away the two men for whom 
they had been so long searching. 

“ I dislike the idea of leaving the lad,” remarked 
Engleman to Christian, “ and yet I don’t want to lose 
sight of the scoundrels who have carried off Rob’s 
father and grandfather. What would you advise, 
John? ” he inquired. 

“ I think Bill’s idea is excellent,” was the reply. 
“ What do you say, Blank? ” he added. “ Would you 
take Bill’s advice ? ” 

“ Would I take Bill’s advice? ” repeated Blank; “ of 
course I would. It is good advice. Let Bill go alone 
in search of the lad. The rest of us will follow the 
other party.” 

“ But how about the others ? ” inquired Petrome- 
linski. “ You say only some of them left with Smith. 
Are the others still in the cave ? ” 

The detective listened attentively when they in- 
formed him that they had seen what Awake-in-the- 
Night assured them were the balance of the men leave 
the cave. 

“ Going to join the other fellows,” said Petrome- 
linski, rather to himself than to those around him. 
“ But tell me this, Blank,” he added, “ was that fellow 
Mashinsky with the crowd? ” 

126 


The Jaws of Death 

The assurance that the man for whom he and Blank 
were searching was with them, and was somewhat of 
a prisoner, greatly reassured Petromelinski. 

“ Gentlemen,” he said, “ I understand you have 
made up your minds to follow these men.” 

“ We have,” replied Engleman; “but tell us, Pe- 
tromelinski, what do you think of Bill’s advice ? ” 

“ I think Bill’s advice is good. And, Blank,” he 
continued, “ it is clear to me that we should go with 
these gentlemen, not only to help them in liberating 
their friends, but especially because we are bound, if 
possible, to run in that fellow Mashinsky.” 

“ I don’t like to leave Happy,” said Rob ; “ but 
then, what can I do? Happy is very dear to me, but 
my grandfather and father are dearer.” 

“ Now, my lad,” said Bill to Rob, “ listen to me: It 
is nateral ye do not like to leave Hap alone. It is also 
nateral that ye do wish, like all tarnation, to go arter 
yer dad and granddad. Leave Hap to Bill. Bill likes 
the chap. Nay,” he said in a pathetic tone, “ Bill sar- 
tinly loves the chap perhaps as much as ye do.” 

“ Let’s look this matter straight in the face,” ex- 
claimed Blank. “ Who are these Indians who have 
carried the lad off? Are they likely to murder him? 
Can you answer that question, Awake-in-the-Night? 
Do you think these Indians are Apaches ? ” 

“Awake-in-the-Night sure Indians not Apaches,” 
was the reply. “ Wear different moccasins.” 

“ Can you make a guess who they are ? ” inquired 
Petromelinski. 


127 


The Jaws of Death 

“ Awake-in-the-Night almost sure from moccasins 
that they are Pueblos.” 

“ But what could they want with a lad like Happy? ” 
inquired Rob. 

“ Awake-in-the-Night not certain, but thinks they 
would make Smile-on-his-Face a medicine man. 
Smile-on-his-Face heap bright. Awake-in-the-Night 
would like to make an Apache brave of him. He 
thinks white lad in no danger.” 

“ Then, Ivan,” said Blank, “ don’t you agree with 
me that it will be best to leave the release of the lad 
to Bill and have Awake-in-the-Night help us to fol- 
low the tracks of Smith and his companions ? ” 

“ I do, Blank,” said Petromelinski. “ We will leave 
the lad with Bill and follow the others.” 

Arrangements were quickly made whereby it was 
understood that word was to be left at all mining 
camps along the road during their journey. 

Bill decided that he would leave his mount, as it 
might be in his way. They promised him that they 
would leave it and Happy’s mount at one of the mi- 
ning camps. That Bill should call for both should he 
succeed in finding the lad. 

The Indians who had captured Happy had evidently 
taken his weapons with them. 

“ Ef ye kin spare me an extra gun let me hev it,” 
said Bill, “ fer the lad. Ef I kin git him away from 
them fellers, he could make it speak.” 

“ Take one of mine, Bill,” said Petromelinski. “ I 
know he is able to make good use of it.” 

128 


The Jaws of Death 

We will first follow Bill as he began at the tracks left 
by Happy. 

The letter of the alphabet Norman had found nearly 
covered up by the earth greatly affected him. 

“ Hap,” he exclaimed, while looking earnestly at 
the letter he held in his hand, “ ye sartinly be a kind- 
hearted chap. Bill knows what ye war up to when ye 
cut out thet letter. Ye intended to keep it fer them 
lessons in spellin’, writin’, and readin’ ye were givin’ 
me. I hope Awake-in-the-Night knew what he was 
talkin’ about when he said it war probably Pueblo 
fellers what took ye, and thet they won’t hurt ye. But 
ef they do,” said Bill savagely, “ I’ll make them pay 
dear fer yer life. And now,” he said, “ I must stop 
talkin’,” and he began to examine the tracks of the 
moccasins. 

“ Good-sized men,” he said, “ jedging from the size 
of the feet and the distance a-tween steps. Ez to the 
direction,” he said, “ thar kin be no doubt. Hap’s steps 
pint to the south. The two men hed the lad a-tween 
them. I reckon they war holdin’ his arms. Wall, 
thet didn’t keep him from cornin’ down hard every now 
and then so thet I kin foller his tracks easy like.” 

That the direction of the markings had been pur- 
posely left by the lad was beyond doubt; for, coming 
to a place where the ground consisted of hard rock, 
so that the trail would ordinarily lack distinctness, 
Happy had succeeded in leaving marks that Bill had no 
difficulty in following. At last Bill saw something 
lying on the ground that brought him to a sudden halt, 
i 129 


The Jaws of Death 

It was another of the letters Happy had cut out from 
the leaf while waiting for Petromelinski. Bill picked 
it up with a glad smile. 

“ I tumble, Hap,” he said, as if the lad was with 
him. “ In course I tumble. Ye say, ‘ I hev left this to 
pint out the way.’ Now, I reckon, thar will be others 
like this one. I don’t pretend to say I know how ye 
cut them out, Hap, and how ye could let them fall with- 
out the fellers what be leadin’ ye away seein’ ye ; but 
I see ye hev done it, and I know how cute ye be, and 
Bill don’t want to know anything more. He’ll foller 
the signs what ye hev left for him, no matter whar they 
lead.” 

When Bill came to the next letter, he grinned and 
said to himself : 

“ Didn’t I say so? The lad hez been and done jest 
ez I hev pinted out. Ef, ez I hope, he hez been able to 
leave these regular, it will be an easy job fer me to 
catch up to him.” 

The next letter Bill picked up was rolled together 
into a little pellet. This had been done when Happy 
feared the men would see what he was doing, which 
of course would have defeated him. 

“ I see, Hap,” exclaimed Bill, “ yer gettin’ scared 
like. Fear the chaps on each side of ye will tumble to 
yer little game and stop it.” 

In this manner Bill rapidly followed the trail left by 
Happy, and had no difficulty in tracing it until he 
reached the Pueblo village, at which the men had 
stopped. 


130 


The Jaws of Death 

But long before, Bill’s active mind had been planning 
what he should do. He was trying to figure out, as he 
expressed it, the purpose for which the Indians were 
carrying the lad off. He knew that toward the south, 
in the northwestern part of New Mexico, in which ter- 
ritory he had now been for some time, was a reserva- 
tion of Ute Indians, and that a number of Pueblo vil- 
lages were situated on the tops of buttes or mesas. 

On the morning of the second day Bill saw far above 
him in the clear air an unusually large eagle. Know- 
ing that the Indian medicine men, especially those of 
the Pueblos, place great value on the feathers of the 
eagle, he succeeded in killing the bird by a shot from 
his rifle, and plucking the large feathers of the wings 
and tail placed them in his coat, and proceeded on his 
way until he reached the Pueblo village above referred 
to. 

There was nothing peculiar about this village. Like 
many others Bill had seen in that part of the country, 
for he knew the great Southwest well, it consisted of 
houses erected on a series of terraces, giving to the 
place at a distance the appearance of a number of huge 
steps rather than of houses. They were built not of 
cut or chiseled stone, but of pieces of sandstone or lime- 
stone that had been split into slabs and more or less 
broken into regular blocks. 

While in case of an attack it would have been 
possible for the Pueblos to put up a good fight by 
drawing up rude wooden ladders they employed in 
passing from one terrace to the next above, yet it was 
131 


The Jaws of Death 

evident that the inhabitants of the village were no 
longer in fear of attacks from their neighbors. They 
were living in more peaceful times than had their an- 
cestors. 

This Pueblo village was evidently of considerable 
age. The lower wall was higher than the others and 
was originally a dead wall. But it had not been kept 
in good condition, so that it could be scaled readily 
without the use of the ladder at a point where it had 
broken down. 

Bill knew there would be no danger in his going 
boldly into the village, provided, of course, he was not 
recognized as being connected with Happy. 


132 


CHAPTER XI 


Happy's Escape from the Pueblo Shamans 

No one in the village appeared to recognize Bill as 
having any connection with the lad who had been 
brought there by the shamans a short time before. 
When it was learned that Bill had two very beautiful 
peacock feathers for sale, many were eager to buy 
them. It should be said here that the boys had pur- 
chased a number of these feathers from the Indians in 
southern Arizona while on the march to the Mesa 
Verde. Happy had given two of them to his friend 
Bill. Now what Bill wished to do was to let Happy 
know he was in the village. Just how to do this he 
could not determine. He felt sure, that at least for a 
day or two, they would keep the lad hidden, especially 
when he, a stranger, was in the neighborhood, and he 
acted accordingly. 

Knowing the esteem in which the Indians held 
feathers, especially the gorgeously colored feathers of 
the peacock, and the sacred feathers of the eagle, Bill 
had counted on getting those he carried into the hands 
of the principal medicine man of the tribe. If, as he 
believed had been the case, Happy had been carried 
off by the medicine men, he would see the peacock 
feathers, and, recognizing them, would know that Bill 
was in the village. He had no doubt that Happy would 
133 


The Jaws of Death 

recognize the feather, since, as he had often so truly 
said, “ Happy was sech a cute one.” 

At first he refused to part with the feathers until 
word having been taken to the shamans that they were 
being offered for sale by a cowboy, the principal sha- 
mans, among them the two who had carried the lad 
away, came and tried to persuade Bill to part with 
them. Of course Bill had no way of knowing that 
these were the men for whom he was looking, but as 
soon as he learned that they were the highest of the 
medicine men, which indeed he might have known 
from the character of their headdress, he agreed to part 
with one of the peacock feathers and a few of the 
eagle’s feathers for a few turquoises and a silver buckle 
for his belt; for the Pueblos, as is well known, are 
skilled silversmiths. He refused to sell the other pea- 
cock feather and the remaining feathers of the eagle, 
except at a price greater than the medicine men were 
willing to give. 

But let us now return to Happy at the time of his 
first visit to the estufa. After gravely welcoming the 
lad, the other shamans continued smoking their pipes in 
silence. Finally the chief shaman, whose name, as he 
had informed Happy, was Light-of-the-Sun, said that 
some of the medicine men would soon attend in a 
body in order to drive the witches away from a man 
of their tribe who had recently died. 

“ Did the man die to-day?” inquired Happy, who 
had made up his mind to take an interest in all that 
!34 


The Jaws of Death 

was going on so as the sooner to gain their confidence. 

“ No,” was the reply; “ man died three suns ago.” 

“ What will you do ? ” inquired Happy. 

“ Shamans will chase away witches who try to fol- 
low the dead man’s spirit.” 

“ What would happen if you did not drive the 
witches away ? ” inquired Happy. 

“ Witches would drive spirit of dead man into place 
where he would always be unhappy. But shamans 
heap too big for witches. Man will soon be all right. 
Shamans go again to-day to kill things for him.” 

Seeing that Happy did not know what they meant 
by “ killing things,” Light-of-the-Sun explained that 
when the spirit of a dead man reached the happy world 
beyond, he would continue doing nearly the same * 
things he did in this world, only that the things he did 
there are much better and more beautiful. That in 
order to start him in his new life, it was necessary 
to send on ahead some of the things he might need in 
the hereafter. 

“ But how can you do this ? ” inquired Happy. 

“ Take things to killing-place. Shamans then kill 
them and send them on ahead.” 

The killing-place, as Happy afterward discovered, 
for they took him to it that same day, was situated 
outside the regular graveyard of the village. It was 
a sad-looking place, never entered except by mourners, 
or by the shamans. It consisted of a level piece of 
ground, the surface of which was covered with broken 
guns, bows and arrows, bits of crockery, torn blankets, 
135 


The Jaws of Death 

cooking utensils, dresses, and the charred bodies of 
horses and cows. 

“ Why don’t you leave the things unbroken or un- 
burnt? ” inquired Happy. “ Would they not then be of 
more use to the spirits of the dead ? ” 

“ If things not killed,” was the reply, “ they would 
never get to the Land of the Hereafter.” 

The shamans treated the lad kindly. After keeping 
him in the estufa for several hours they permitted him 
to leave the room and visit some of the houses. They 
warned him, however, not to attempt to go away from 
the village or out into the streets unless in company 
with some of the shamans. 

On the second day after his arrival at the estufa they 
showed him a great piece of magic, which was per- 
formed for the purpose of driving away a severe ill- 
ness from a man who had been brought to them for 
treatment. This treatment was not given in the great 
estufa, into which only the shamans and the acolytes 
were permitted to enter, but in another room near the 
estufa, called the “ medicine hoganda,” a conical hut 
used solely for treatment of sickness by the medicine 
men. 

When Happy was led by the shamans into the medi- 
cine room, he found it crowded with people who had 
come with the sick man to see the great magic that 
they knew would be exhibited when he was cured by 
the shamans. 

The people were seated in circles on the ground. 
The room was dimly lighted by the sacred fire, and 
136 


The Jaws of Death 

three or four shamans were dancing violently in the 
inner circle. Other shamans were seated on the ground 
blowing the sacred smoke from their pipes. One of 
them informed Happy that this was necessary in 
order to blind the witches, who would otherwise pre- 
vent the man from being cured. The shamans who 
were dancing kept up a weird chant. They were get- 
ting ready to administer their medicines. 

The medical practice of the Pueblos, as exhibited in 
that room, was certainly medicine of an exceedingly 
odd character. The shamans were not only doctors, 
but were also druggists. They not only prescribed med- 
icines for their patients, but also administered them. 
As Lummis describes in his interesting book, “ Some 
Strange Corners of Our Country,” a book from which 
most of the information concerning the shamans of 
the Pueblos has been obtained, they did not carry their 
medicines in the ordinary glass phials of the druggists, 
but in their nimble fingers. 

Feathers, especially those of the eagle, had evidently 
much to do with the magic treatment. Each of the 
shamans in his dancing around the room held some of 
these feathers in his hand. It was surprising the dif- 
ferent offices the feathers were called on to perform. 
Sometimes they were used for tossing the witches up 
through the top of the room where the winds could 
blow them away. At other times they were used for 
probes, lancets, knives, saws, and other surgical in- 
struments. 

Happy was interested especially in watching Light- 
137 


The Jaws of Death 

of-the-Sun as he danced toward and from the man who 
had been brought into the hoganda for treatment. 
While chanting he would rush furiously toward the 
sick man, as if he intended to drive away the evil 
spirit that was the cause of the man’s sickness. Then 
he would suddenly dash away and go whirling around 
in circles with the other shamans, but only again to 
rush toward the patient. 

These to-and-fro motions Happy shrewdly guessed 
were for calling the attention of the people to him, for 
apparently as soon as he was satisfied that all eyes were 
fixed on him he began his so-called magic. Resting the 
tip of a large eagle feather he held in one hand against 
the lips of the patient, a feather, by the way, he had 
obtained that morning from Bill, he commenced vio- 
lently sucking through the quill end. In some way, 
just how Happy was unable to understand, the feather 
seemed to swell, as if something was passing through 
it from the mouth of the sick man into the mouth of 
Light-of-the-Sun, who now commenced coughing and 
acting as though he were choking, when suddenly re- 
moving the feather from the mouth of the sick man he 
applied his hands to his own mouth and apparently 
drew from it a long piece of cactus covered with sharp 
thorns, which he proudly showed the different people 
in the room. No wonder the poor man had been sick, 
to have carried such an object in his stomach! Now 
surely he could count on becoming well after having 
been rid in this magical manner of this terrible thing. 

Happy’s plan of hiding his sorrow at being carried 
138 


The Jaws of Death 

away by the shamans was beginning to bear good 
fruit, for they trusted him more and more. Besides, 
he had now reached the conclusion that had not the 
shamans carried him away they might have taken Rob 
or Norman. He was glad to have taken Rob’s place. 
As to Norman, it made him smile when he thought 
how poorly fitted such a lad would be to make any 
headway against such captors. He therefore kept up 
his smiling countenance to such an extent that they 
began to call him “ Pahozone,” which means happy or 
good-natured. Indeed, in a little while this was the 
only name by which the lad was known. Although a 
different word from the one that Awake-in-the-Night 
had employed in the Apache language, it evidently 
meant the same thing. 

On the third day after his capture Happy was sur- 
prised at a beautiful peacock feather that Light-of-the- 
Sun brought to show him. He instantly recognized 
it as one of those he had given to Bill. He had suffi- 
cient control of his countenance, however, to prevent 
Light-of-the-Sun from seeing that he had recognized 
it. 

“ What a beautiful feather ! ” Happy said. “ Does 
the bird from which you got it live in your country ? ” 

Light-of-the-Sun, who was pleased that the lad had 
been attracted by its beauty, said : 

“ No, Pahozone, bird live far away from here. Got 
it yesterday from man.” 

“ Man still here? ” inquired Happy. 

“ Light-of-the-Sun think so,” was the reply. 

139 


The Jaws of Death 

“ Beautiful feather,” replied the lad. “ Good for 
prayer-stick?” he asked in an inquiring tone. 

“ Heap good,” was the reply. “ Better than any 
other feather.” 

“ Cannot Light-of-the-Sun get another beautiful 
feather for Pahozone if the man is still here ? ” 

“Will try,” replied Light-of-the-Sun; “but feather 
cost heap to buy.” 

It is needless to say that Happy kept his eyes wide 
open for other signs of his friend Bill. He was sure 
now that Bill was in the village and had already been 
planning how he might make his escape should he see 
him. 

Next day Light-of-the-Sun came to Happy and 
proudly gave him another peacock feather, saying : 

“ See heap beautiful feather Light-of-the-Sun has 
bought for Pahozone.” 

The lad’s quick eye had seen a small object in the 
hollow part of the quill. Taking the feather from the 
shaman’s hand and holding it so as to conceal the quill, 
he said : 

“ Light-of-the-Sun is very kind to Pahozone. May- 
be he will show him how to take feather far from here 
and make a prayer-stick of it.” 

“ Yes, Light-of-the-Sun teach Pahozone to be great 
shaman.” 

When the shaman left Happy alone, he took the op- 
portunity when he was sure no one was observing him 
to remove a small pellet that had been placed in the 
hollow part of the quill. 


140 


The Jaws of Death 

“ I thought so,” he said to himself as he opened it 
and saw one of the letters that he had dropped along 
the way to serve as a trail for his friend Bill. “ Bill is 
not only here, but he knows I am here and has sent me 
this message.” 

This novel letter was probably the shortest ever sent 11 
by one person to another. It consisted not only of a 
single word or even of a single syllable, but of a sin- 
gle letter only. Short as it was it greatly affected the 
lad, for when looking at it he found that Bill had 
not taken any letter for his message but had picked 
out the letter B. 

“ Hello,” he said to himself, “ you’re getting on, Bill. 
That’s right,” he said, “ B stands for Bill.” 

When the shaman next saw Bill he was exceedingly 
anxious to get the rest of the eagle feathers, and in- 
formed him that some great magic was to be seen in 
the medicine house. 

“ What kind of magic is it? ” inquired Bill. “ Will 
ye let me see it? ” 

“ Only Pueblos can see magic,” was the reply. 

“ But suppose I give ye all these feathers,” said Bill, 
taking out half a dozen of the eagle’s feathers, still re- 
taining, however, about half of those he had taken 
from the bird. “ If I give you these kin I see the 
magic? ” 

Light-of-the-Sun hesitated. 

“ If the white man is heap sick Light-of-the-Sun will 
take him into the hoganda and cure his sickness.” 

“ White man is heap sick,” said Bill. 

141 


The Jaws of Death 

“ Then Light-of-the-Sun will take him after a while 
to the great medicine room where he will take this 
sickness from him.” 

That afternoon, as Happy was again taken into the 
medicine room to see the magic, he saw Bill seated im- 
mediately opposite him. He managed to conceal his 
great joy, although he felt like rushing to Bill and 
hugging him. 

Bill’s supposed sickness was treated very successfully 
by Light-of-the-Sun, who drew several large stones 
apparently from one of his legs and a rifle bullet from 
his right shoulder. Bill declared himself entirely satis- 
fied with the result, assuring Light-of-the-Sun that he 
had never seen such wonderful magic in his life. 

Bill still had a number of the eagle’s feathers equal 
to those he had already sold to the shaman. What he 
now wished to do was to get back Happy’s rifle and 
revolver, so he offered to sell all the feathers he had for 
a good rifle and a gun. This did not surprise them, 
for they knew that cowboys place an especial value on 
such things. 

Light-of-the-Sun agreed to the sale and brought out 
a number of their rifles in order to make the barter, 
but Bill was too old a hand to be fooled by the old 
weapons they brought him. He turned down one after 
another as being no good, or as he called it, “ heap 
bad.” At last when weapon after weapon had been 
discarded they brought out Happy’s. Bill pretended 
that they were also “ heap bad,” but at last permitted 
142 



“ Happy understood that Bill was speak- 
ing to him and not to the Shamans ” 

Page 143 




I 


The Jaws of Death 

himself to be persuaded to make the bargain, so he 
went off with them. 

Bill had not spent his nights in the village but con- 
siderably to the north of it. Taking the weapons he 
bid the shamans adieu, while Happy was an onlooker. 

“ I go,” he said, “ to my camp over there,” point- 
ing to the north. “ Maybe I never come back. Maybe 
I wait till late to-night.” 

Happy understood that Bill was speaking to him and 
not to the shamans. He was informing Happy that he 
would remain in his camp until late that night, and 
hoped that something might happen by which Happy 
could reach him. When Bill said, “ Maybe I come 
back to-night,” he understood that he was coming back, 
and then when he added, “ You look for me,” the sha- 
mans understood that they were to wait until the 
morning, but Happy knew it would be that night. 

There was to be a great powwow in the estufa house 
that night at which all the shamans were to be present. 
Happy pretending to be sleepy was permitted to rest 
for the night in a house adjoining the hoganda. 

Fortunately, a great storm arose with heavy rain 
and thunder. The night was so dark that it was impos- 
sible to see the hand before one’s face. The shamans 
believing that Happy was secure, remained in the dry, 
comfortable quarters of the estufa, while all the people 
in the house where Happy was sleeping had also gone. 

As Happy was lying in his room he felt a hand 
placed over his mouth. A bright flash of lightning per- 
mitted him to see it was Bill’s hand. Bill then 
143 


The Jaws of Death 

walked away from the lad beckoning him to follow. 
He did this at once, following Bill quietly from ter- 
race to terrace until they were finally outside the es- 
tufa and on the plain, on which the butte stood, and 
thence on their way to the north. 


144 


CHAPTER XII 


Happy and Bill Take Refuge in the Cliff House 

It is not surprising that Bill and Happy were able 
to make their escape from the Pueblo settlement with- 
out being stopped. The storm was one of the most 
severe ever known in that section. A heavy rain, 
driven by a high wind, swept over the village in drift- 
ing sheets, that made every one only too glad to re- 
main indoors. Except for the momentary lightning 
flashes the night was of almost pitchy darkness. But 
the man and boy rejoiced at the storm. It could not 
be too severe for them. Its very severity was their 
safety. 

“ Here be yer shootin’ things, Hap,” said Bill as 
soon as they had safely left the settlement. “ I hev 
kept them ez dry as possible. Carry ’em so ez to keep 
the water off ez well ez ye kin. Ye may hev to use 
them when the shamans larn thet ye hev cut loose.” 

“ Thank you, Bill,” said Happy as he took them 
from his companion. “ I am glad to get my rifle and 
revolver again. I will try to use them next time if the 
shamans make an attempt to capture me.” 

The condition of the night did not prevent them 
from keeping up a conversation, for each had much 
to tell. Happy naturally wanted to hear the news Bill 
had brought from his friends. He was especially 
k 145 


The Jaws of Death 

anxious to know whether Rob had seen his father and 
grandfather; whether there had been any fight be- 
tween them and Joseph Smith and his Mormon and 
Indian followers. 

The news Bill brought Happy was indeed astonish- 
ing. When he was informed that Smith and his com- 
panions had again carried off the two men to the north- 
west he at once inquired, just as Petromelinski had 
done, whether Professor Engleman and the others had 
not been mistaken when they believed the Mormons 
had been running away from them; whether they had 
not merely determined to go in this direction inde- 
pendently of strangers being in the neighborhood of 
the “ Mesa of the Dream.” They then got chatting 
about the different plans Happy had formed for show- 
ing Bill the direction in which he had been taken. 

“ If I could have reached my gun,” said Happy, “ I 
do not believe they could have carried me off, but the 
first thing I knew two Indians had grabbed me by the 
arms. I was sure that when Petromelinski returned 
and told the others what had happened, you would 
follow the trail, so I tried to make it as plain as I 
could for you.” 

“ Ye did make it plain fer sartain,” said Bill. 
“ Them letters war very cute, and so war the tracks 
ye left over the rocky parts. I’ll back ye to fool them 
fellers every time.” 

The night was so dark that one less accustomed to 
travel than Bill, as it were by a sense of direction, 
would have been unable to find his way. Of course 
146 


The Jaws of Death 

they were both soaking wet, although they managed to 
keep their weapons under cover. 

It was between nine and ten in the evening when 
they left the Pueblo village. About half an hour after 
midnight the storm passed, the sky cleared, and they 
were able to make their way rapidly, taking their di- 
rection from the stars. Moreover, a wind commenced 
to blow that did much toward drying their clothing. 

They had been traveling very rapidly, for they knew 
that as soon as the Pueblos missed them they would 
start after them on their fleet horses. 

“ Be ye blown yet, Hap ? ” inquired Bill anxiously. 

“ No, Bill, Pm in good condition. You can put a 
spurt on if you want. I can keep this up till daylight.’’ 

“ Good boy; then we’ll do it,” and indeed they did. 

It was now daylight. The sun had been above the 
horizon for more than an hour. Their clothes were 
rapidly becoming less unpleasant. Bill now stopped by 
a water-hole and gave his companion some food he had 
been carrying in a pack on his shoulders. 

While eating a scant breakfast, Bill inquired of the 
lad: 

“ Hev they treated ye good, Hap ? ” 

“ I would not ask for kinder treatment,” was the 
reply. “ Of course, Bill,” he said, “ I couldn’t help 
wondering how things were going on with our peo- 
ple, for when you and the others left Petromelinski and 
me to watch the opposite side of the canon, it seemed 
to me that it would not be long before Rob would see 
both his father and grandfather.” 

147 


The Jaws of Death 

“ I be glad to hear them fellers were kind like to 
ye,” said Bill. 

“If we succeed in escaping from the Pueblos, Bill,” 
inquired Happy, “ you have no fear of overtaking our 
friends, have you ? ” 

“ No, I kin do thet, all right,” exclaimed Bill ; “ but 
it be a much harder thing to keep ahead of the Pueblos, 
who in course are f oiler ing us on horses.” 

“ What are your plans? ” inquired Happy. 

“ Arter we left you,” said Bill, “ Awake-in-the- 
Night showed us how to git into the big cave back of 
the ruins of the big cliff village.” 

Bill then told Happy of the fissure through the sand- 
stone and of the galleries in the soft shale, leading to 
the ruins. He also told him of how they had seen 
what Awake-in-the-Night believed to be all who had 
been in the cliff house, come out of the back of the 
cave and disappear toward the northwest. 

“ As far then as one kin see no one be left thar. Ef 
we kin git ahead of them Pueblo fellers, who are arter 
us, fur enough to reach thet place fust, we will either 
be able to hide so they kain’t diskiver us, or ef they 
git thar too, we kin put up a good fight against the 
number they probably will bring agin us.” 

Happy was in almost perfect health. Life in the 
open air had kept him in such excellent condition that 
he had no trouble in keeping up with Bill’s most rapid 
gait. Seeing this, Bill again increased his pace until 
they came almost to a run. In this manner they made 
rapid progress, and with the exception of a short rest 
148 


The Jaws of Death 

toward noon they continued their flight at this gait 
until after two o’clock in the afternoon. 

“ I remember passing this place with the shamans, 
Bill,” said Happy. “ I think you will find on our left 
the canon of a stream that I believe empties into the 
Rio Mancos, in the canon of which the cliff village is 
situated. Since our enemies are mounted, if we can 
reach the canon of that stream and follow it we would 
be on more nearly equal terms with them, for they 
could hardly follow it on horses. If we are careful 
with our trail we might fool our pursuers and make 
them believe we had continued on the surface.” 

“ I see, Hap,” said Bill, grinning, “ ye hev lost none 
of the laming I give ye while in Texas. Yer idee is 
good. Let’s make false trails and then gallop into the 
canon.” 

They succeeded in doing this, and were fortunately 
able to enter the canon and even to make rapid prog- 
ress along its banks. 

It is true that the heavy storm had made quite a 
flood in the river, but Bill was fortunate in finding a 
safe path along the higher parts of the slope on the 
left-hand side, where they were out of the reach of the 
storm waters. Bill had expected to find the stream 
flooded and had at the first opportunity crossed to the 
side on which the cliff house was situated. 

“ Further down, Hap,” he said, “ it may be not 
crossed so easy.” 

Once or twice they could see their pursuers on the 
other side of the canon. Their enemies, however, did 
149 


The Jaws of Death 

not see them, so they passed on and were now ap- 
proaching the cliff village on the Rio Mancos. 

At one place along the route before they entered the 
canon, Bill collected a number of the dried stems of the 
estrana, or buckhorn cactus, a resinous plant that burns 
with a fairly bright light. Though wet by the rain of 
the previous day, the stems had dried again. The 
variety of cactus Bill selected constituted the pre- 
historic candle. At Bill’s suggestion Happy also col- 
lected a number of the stems. The pursuers had 
evidently lost time in following the false trails they had 
left for them. Indeed, it was due to this only that Bill 
and Happy were successful in reaching the upper slope 
of the canon, near which Awake-in-the-Night had 
showed them the entrance. 

“ Ef you see anything that is good to eat try to shoot 
it, Hap,” said Bill. 

“ Of course, Bill,” said the lad, “ you know that the 
firing of a gun will show the Indians where we are.” 

“ I kain’t help that, my lad,” was the reply. “ We 
must try to get something to eat. Ef we are shut in 
the cave by the Indians with no food we’d be starved 
sure and hev to surrender.” 

One may readily wander for great distances in the 
Southwest without finding game. It is, however, es- 
pecially apt to follow the canons and the streams run- 
ning through them. Possibly the heavy rain had some- 
thing to do with it, but they were certainly fortunate, 
in that shortly before they had reached the point of 
entrance to the fissure, Happy succeeded in killing 
150 


a 


The Jaws of Death 

large mountain sheep while Bill brought down a kid 
which had been following its mother. Carrying the 
sheep on his shoulder, and calling to Happy to bring 
the kid and follow him, Bill soon entered the narrow 
edge of the crevice that extended down through the 
sandstone to the soft shale beneath. 

“ Did ye see anything when ye went down below the 
top of the crack, Hap? ” said Bill as they were making 
their way slowly down the inclined path, a difficult 
task, loaded as they were. 

“ I saw the shamans descending the opposite side of 
the canon. You can make up your mind they know 
this place and are bound for it.” 

“ I allow it’ll be hard for them to cross the stream,” 
said Bill, “ but they’ll do it.” 

They were soon at the low cylindrical opening 
through which they were obliged to crawl. Bill went 
first, but backward, taking hold of the sheep and draw- 
ing it toward him. It was by no means easy, but with 
Happy’s help he at last succeeded, when he was fol- 
lowed by Happy who had less trouble in bringing the 
smaller kid with him. As soon as they reached the 
gallery where they could walk erect, each lighted an 
estrana stem so that they were able now to see the 
character of the passageway, which of course had been 
quite impossible when Bill had first entered it. 

They noticed, to their surprise, that numerous 
branch passageways opened out into the one they were 
following. Indeed, as they neared the cave the soft 
shale appeared to be literally honeycombed with pas- 

151 


The Jaws of Death 

sages. Some of these were so low that one was obliged 
to stoop in order to enter. They were excellent places, 
however, in which one could disappear if hard pressed 
by a pursuing enemy ; for, provided the passages led as 
they usually do into rooms, an enemy would have but 
a poor chance for his life if a determined person stood 
at the other end of the low opening. 

Neither spoke, although both closely observed the 
general position of the side passages. Happy especially 
noted one of the main passages that led more nearly 
to the north than that through which they were going, 
which Bill informed him extended in almost a straight 
line to the front of the cave. 

They had now reached the portion of the cave im- 
mediately back of the opening at the village, the dim 
light of which could be seen in front of them. They 
were beginning to consider whether or not it was best 
to venture cautiously into the main cave, or to en- 
deavor to find a smaller room that could be entered 
only by the low opening from below, which would 
enable them to make a stand in a fight against the 
Pueblos. 

Something occurred, however, that compelled them 
to come to rapid decision. They distinctly heard the 
footsteps of the Pueblos descending the fissure in the 
sandstone. As Happy had said, they were evidently 
making for the cave in which they were standing. 

“ Straight ahead, Hap,” cried Bill ; “ we’ll risk going 
to the ruins of the village ! ” 

“ There ought to be plenty of good places to hide, 

152 


The Jaws of Death 

Bill,” said Happy, “ for you remember how many 
houses there were, do you not ? ” 

“ I reckon I do, fer sure.” 

Staggering with their load of meat they were soon 
in the open air and sunshine of the front of the cave, 
but back of the houses. The rounded towers were seen 
at each end of the village on their left and right. They 
had a very different appearance from that they had 
from the other side of the canon. 

A swift glance at the buildings enabled Bill to select 
a two-story house in somewhat better condition than 
the others, that stood back of the rounded tower at the 
side of the cave which lay on the extreme northern end 
of the village. 

Beckoning to Happy to follow him, Bill entered the 
second story of the house; for, as is common in such 
houses, the first story had its roof projecting some lit- 
tle distance beyond the floor of the second story. The 
place they entered was a large empty room with a 
single narrow window. They were glad to see that 
this room was provided with an opening at the back, 
or opposite the window, that was evidently intended to 
provide a refuge for those shut in the outer room 
should their enemies succeed in entering it. 

Turning to his young friend, Bill said : 

“ Crawl in, Hap, and tell me what ye kin see.” 

Happy did so and, in a moment returning, said : 

“ There is another room almost as big as the one 
we are in. It appears to be lighted from above. Yes, 
I see,” he added, “ there are openings there.” 

153 


The Jaws of Death 

“ And that is all ye kin see, Hap? ” inquired Bill. 

“ No,” was the reply, “ there is another low opening 
in the back of the room.” 

“ Then in we go,” said Bill. “ This place will sarve 
us to hide in at least fer a while.” 

When they first entered the room the light that 
found its way through the small openings at the top 
and bottom was so faint that they were unable to see 
anything. As they became more accustomed to the 
dim light they began to look around them. 

Standing at one of the peep-holes near the top of the 
room, Bill could see through the narrow window of the 
main room the backs of the houses of the village. 
Happy endeavored to do the same thing, but the open- 
ing of the window was too high. On examining the 
window, however, he found that the people formerly 
occupying the room had provided for just such an 
emergency. Rude steps had been cut in the wall so as 
to enable a shorter person to reach and see through 
the opening. 

“ They have made this place just my size, Bill,” 
whispered Happy. 

“ They hev, Hap, and wery wise in them ; fer often 
I reckon the children were shut up in these places. 
The steps on which ye air standin’ war intended to let 
their kids look through the peep-holes to see ef any 
one war cornin’ outside.” 

They could now distinctly hear the footsteps of their 
pursuers. Several times they passed rapidly, one 
after another, in front of tfie house. Happy distinctly 
154 


The Jaws of Death 

recognized Light-of-the-Sun and the other shaman 
who had carried him away. Four others were in the 
pursuing party. They appeared to be searching the 
different houses as well as examining the ground for 
some trail. But, fortunately for Bill and Happy, so 
many trails had been made by the Indians and Danites 
who had only recently left the place that the last 
comers were confused. 

“Shall we make a fight here, Bill?” inquired 
Happy. 

“ Not yet. I know we could pick ’em off one arter 
another. Ef I were alone I might do it, but I ain’t ta- 
kin’ no risks on yer being shot. What do ye think 
about it? ” 

“ Let us give them a chance for their lives, Bill,” 
said Happy. “ If they actually attack us we will 
fight, but let us wait awhile and see.” 

“ Yer word goes, Hap,” said Bill. 

They remained in the room for fully fifteen minutes, 
during which time the shamans passed them on five 
different occasions. At last they saw a fresh trail 
leading directly toward the house in which they were 
hiding. 

“ Get your gun ready, Hap,” exclaimed Bill. 

The lad did so, when suddenly something occurred 
that stopped the running of the Indians toward the 
house. They had evidently heard footsteps in the rear ; 
for, turning suddenly, they ran a short distance toward 
the front of the cave, and threw themselves down as 
though listening. Then, as if satisfied, they started to 
155 


The Jaws of Death 

their feet and ran toward the back of the cave in the 
direction of the gallery by which they had entered. 

“ Let’s follow, Bill! ” said Happy; “ it may be some 
of our friends.” 

“ I’m with you, Hap,” cried Bill. 

They were soon in the outer room looking carefully 
at the Indians, who were now on a full rush toward the 
back of the cave. The loudness of the sounds produced 
by the footsteps of the pursued and the pursuers sur- 
prised them no little. Although shod with moccasins, 
the soft blows could be distinctly heard. They after- 
ward discovered that this was due to the cave acting as 
a huge whispering-gallery, throwing any sounds pro- 
duced inside the cave to a focus near its opening at the 
ruined village. 

Bill and Happy had now left the house in which they 
had been hiding and could distinctly hear the footsteps 
running through the back of the cave. Suddenly the 
shot of a rifle rang out, and a flash of light showed that 
it had been discharged at the fleeing figure in front. 

Was the pursued one of their friends? Had he 
been shot? These were questions that both Bill and 
Happy anxiously asked themselves. But no, the ball 
had evidently sped wide of its mark, for the footsteps 
were heard again running and the shamans continued 
their pursuit. 

“ Let’s follow them,” said Bill. “ This feller may 
be Awake-in-the-Night, or some of our friends come 
to bring word. We kain’t leave him now.” 

Reaching the gallery through which the shamans 

156 


The Jaws of Death 

had passed, Bill and his companion gave them time to 
reach the sandstone at the bottom. Then following 
rapidly they made another pause before passing out 
through the low opening into the sandstone crevice. 

When they reached the crevice the shamans had as- 
cended to the top. They therefore climbed the inclined 
steps in the sandstone and, again waiting long enough 
to allow the shamans to get ahead of them, passed 
rapidly to the place where they could see the lower 
country. 

After waiting here for a while, while lying on the 
ground, they could see in the distance an Indian 
mounted on a swift steed moving rapidly toward the 
northwest, followed by six mounted shamans in hot 
pursuit. 

“ We be in luck, Hap,” exclaimed Bill. “ Let’s 
make our way back to the cave.” 


157 


CHAPTER XIII 


Happy Liberates Pete 

As will be remembered, Pete, the cowboy, the guide of 
Robert Harold Gordon, Jr., had been imprisoned by 
Joseph Smith in a lonely cliff house near the top of an 
almost inaccessible precipice. This house was situated 
in one of the many side canons of the Rio Mancos, not 
far from the ruins of the cliff houses referred to in 
the preceding chapters. 

When first imprisoned, Pete shared this prison with 
his employer. At the request of Smith, however, so 
as to be with his father, Gordon agreed to aid him in 
professional work in the neighborhood. But the 
elder Gordon entirely failed to recognize his son and, 
indeed, could only talk intelligently on matters per- 
taining to his profession. For such matters his 
memory was not in the least defective. On everything 
else it was a blank. 

Robert Harold Gordon, Jr., first refused to aid his 
father unless Smith would permit Pete to go with 
him. He knew how lonely the man would be if left 
to himself, but when he was refused Pete urged his 
going. 

“ I reckon I’ll be very lonely', but ye hed better go,” 
he said. “Ye kin do nothin’ here to help me and noth- 
in’ to help yer father. Go with him and p’raps some- 

158 


The Jaws of Death 

time ye may hev a chance to escape, and put the 
white people in the mining camps on the lookout for 
us all.” 

Pete’s reasoning was so strong that Gordon agreed. 
Pete therefore had been left alone for a long time. 

Every now and then Gordon was able to spend a 
few days with Pete, and kept him informed as to what 
was going on, as well as to the condition in which he 
found his father. They had both hoped that as time 
passed some change would take place, especially since 
the son’s companionship might be expected to revive 
the past. 

It is not easy thoroughly to appreciate the condi- 
tion in which Pete found himself in his lonely prison. 
It is a most trying experience for any one to remain 
imprisoned month after month with nothing to do but 
to eat, sleep, and wear himself out in useless efforts to 
escape. Pete had tried again and again to find a way 
out of his prison. He knew there was an entrance 
from the rear, for he had been brought into the cliff 
house in that way when blindfolded. Moreover, his 
food was brought him by an Apache Indian Smith 
had instructed to attend to this work, and he always 
came from the rear. Although Pete had repeatedly 
endeavored to find some place in the little room imme- 
diately back of the main room, that was provided with 
the usual low door through which one was obliged to 
crawl in order to pass in or out, he never succeeded in 
doing so. It is true there was a second room, darker 
than the first, but as far as Pete could see it had no 
159 


The Jaws of Death 

connection whatever with the soft rock lying imme- 
diately back of it. 

When Gordon was brought back and forth his 
eyes were always carefully blindfolded, so that except 
that he had passed through what he believed to be a 
long tunnel he could give Pete no definite information. 

At first Pete determined to attack the Indian as he 
came with his food, but the man never appeared. The 
only evidence that he had been around was the food 
Pete found generally in the early morning in the little 
back room. 

When Smith and his Mormon and Apache associates 
had gone to the distant properties, the Indian’s visits 
to Pete’s cave were less frequent, but he had never yet 
suffered from lack of food. The supply left was suffi- 
cient to last for a week or two, or was only enough for 
a day. When the larger supply was left, Pete knew he 
was not to look for more until what had been left was 
consumed. He was so confident that his captors in- 
tended to give him enough to eat that he never took 
the precaution of putting himself on short rations. 

On the occasion of the last journey of Smith and 
a few of his people, when they took the two Gordons 
with them to make a report on some of their proper- 
ties, and the subsequent journey of the rest of the men, 
Pete could tell from the quantity of food left that 
they had all gone off again. He had now nearly 
reached his last rations, but was not yet suffering from 
hunger. As to the supply of water, there was, as has 
already been mentioned, a good spring on the small 
160 


The Jaws of Death 

level tract in front of the cave house on which Pete 
spent nearly all the hours of the day when the sun was 
shining. 

Pete entertained very revengeful feelings toward 
Joseph Smith. He had sworn again and again to get 
even with him when the first chance presented itself, a 
fact by the way that would seem to reduce greatly 
Joseph Smith’s chances for a long life. Like most 
cowboys of the great Southwest, Pete was quick on the 
trigger, and was not apt to change his mind when, as 
he expressed it, “ he had set it on anything.” 

With the exception of the small quantity of food 
Bill had brought with him in the pack he carried over 
his shoulder, he and Happy had not eaten anything 
since their escape from the Pueblo village. The little 
remaining food had all been eaten on their way to the 
ruins of the cliff village, so they were both hungry. 
When they saw the six Pueblos following the solitary 
Indian they determined to go back to the cave as 
quickly as possible to get something to eat. 

“ Could ye eat a nice little steak from thet ere kid 
I shot, Hap, ef we built a fire and roasted it?” in- 
quired Bill as they were returning rapidly to the cave. 

“ Watch me and see,” said Happy, laughing. 
“ Let’s hurry back and start a fire. We’ll take the 
risk of the Pueblos seeing the smoke. I don’t think 
there’ll be much danger of this for some time to come, 
do you ? ” 

“ Nary a risk,” replied Bill. 
l 161 


The Jaws of Death 

They had passed through the tunneling leading di- 
rectly to the front of the cave. Each had lighted a 
branch of the estrana, so that they had no difficulty in 
seeing around them. When they reached the back of 
the cave, Bill suddenly stopped, having stumbled 
against something lying on the floor. 

“ Hello, what’s this, Hap ? ” he exclaimed. 

Bill was pointing to a large package, tightly tied to- 
gether, lying on the floor. 

“ Looks like food. Let’s open it and see.” 

They found that it contained various kinds of food- 
stuffs, mainly such as are sold by stores in mining towns 
to miners and prospectors. There were packages of 
flour, baking soda, Indian meal, lard, and other articles 
that are now so common in the West where they have 
been sent by enterprising dealers from Chicago, St. 
Louis, and elsewhere. 

“ How do ye allow it got here, Hap? ” inquired Bill. 

“ It was probably thrown here by the Indian the 
Pueblos shot at. As you see, it is in the back of the 
cave. I’m certain it was not here when we came in 
the first time. I don’t think you would have failed to 
see it, and I’m quite sure I would not.” 

“ I reckon ye air right, Hap. But what do ye sup- 
pose the Indian feller is bringin’ food here fer ? ” 

“ Perhaps he intended to remain here for a time,” 
replied Happy. 

“ Thet might be, Hap, but it also ’pears like ez ef 
he hed been sent to bring food here to somebody who 
is sick or a prisoner.” 

162 


The Jaws of Death 

A more careful investigation of the package showed 
that it contained enough food to keep one alive for a 
week or more. Moreover, the articles were in excellent 
condition. 

“ I reckon we’ll keep it, Hap ? ” said Bill. 

Even a hurried examination of the ruins showed that 
many of the houses had been recently occupied. At 
one place they found the ashes of a recently kindled fire. 
Near it were several axes of Eastern manufacture that 
had evidently been employed in cutting wood for kin- 
dling. They soon kindled a fire and toasted several 
excellent steaks from the kid by holding them in a 
cleft stick over the glowing embers. The steaks had 
indeed a most pleasant taste, as had also some griddle 
cakes Bill made in a pan that had been left with other 
cooking utensils. 

There was still some water in their water-bottles, so 
that they did not then feel in want of this very im- 
portant article. 

After dining they began to explore the ruins. It 
will be remembered that there were two cylindrical 
towers located at the two ends of the precipice in 
front of the cave. The masonry of the towers was 
more carefully constructed than that of the other 
buildings. Indeed, the stones of the outer walls, for 
the towers were formed of three parallel courses of 
masonry, seemed to have been hewn and fitted by the 
stone axes that were used at the early time when the 
towers were erected. Happy and Bill climbed to the 
top of one of them. Its upper story had only partly 
1 63 


The Jaws of Death 

crumbled away, so that they managed to reach a 
height equal to its highest point when the village was 
inhabited. 

Happy at once noticed that from the top of this 
tower another tower could be seen further down the 
canon. 

“ I wonder, Bill,” he inquired, “ if the people used 
these places to signal to other villages? What do 
you think? ” 

“ Thet be a good idee, Hap,” said Bill approvingly. 
“ I reckon ye be right. Let’s climb the other tower and 
see ef we kin see another further up the stream.” 

When this was done it seemed at first as if they were 
wrong, for no other tower could be seen. Looking 
more carefully, however, they saw the ruins of a tower 
that had at first escaped their attention by reason of 
its reduced height. They therefore came to the con- 
clusion, and we think the correct one, that the towers 
were not only used as vantage grounds from which to 
fight enemies attacking them, but especially as signal 
towers to warn the people up and down the canon of 
an unexpected approach of an enemy. 

Bill and Happy spent some time in looking over the 
ruins. One of the things that first attracted their 
attention was a passageway, uninterrupted by cross 
walls, that extended directly through the middle of 
the village. This was different from most of the 
other passageways, that were shut off either by strong 
walls built across them, or by walls pierced by narrow 
doorways. 


164 


The Jaws of Death 

Some of the houses had rooms that were not only 
larger than others, but had walls that were covered with 
yellow plaster. It was evident that these houses were 
intended for use by their chiefs, or medicine men, or 
for some of the more important families of the tribe. 

Anxiously examining the character of the space be- 
low the surface at the foot of the right-hand tower, 
from which, while on the opposite side of the canon, 
they had seen the slender columns of smoke issuing, 
they found an estufa, or a circular underground room, 
provided for the medicine men. The room had evi- 
dently been entered originally from above, but the 
roof had long ago fallen in, leaving a fairly comfort- 
able place where the men could sit and smoke, and yet 
sufficiently below the surface to prevent their being 
seen from any one on the other side of the canon. 

The rooms that had apparently been recently occu- 
pied by the Mormons and Indians showed that they 
expected to return, for they had left many objects, 
and among them a number of fairly modern revolvers 
and rifles. But what pleased Bill and Happy the most 
was not a number of bottles containing what the In- 
dians call fire-water but a good supply of ammunition, 
especially of loaded shells. 

“ Looks as ef they might fit our revolvers, Hap,” 
said Bill. 

This proved true, greatly to their surprise, since 
their weapons were of recent manufacture. Bill was 
probably correct when he said : 

“ I reckon, Hap, these shells be intended for Joe 

165 


The Jaws of Death 

Smith, who kin afford to buy the best guns that be fer 
sale in the stores at the minin’ camps.” 

While examining one of the small rooms situated 
at the rear of the living-rooms at the front of the 
houses, they found the dried bodies of several of the 
people who had lived here so many generations ago. 
These mummies, for that is what they were, had been 
placed in a sitting posture, not however with their 
faces turned toward the east, as is common in most 
prehistoric races, but apparently in any direction as 
may have pleased the party conducting their burial. 

One thing that especially astonished them was the 
manner in which, in many cases, the rooms back of 
the main room were connected with one another by 
means of entrances, so low that it was necessary to 
crawl in order to enter them. All these rooms were 
furnished with peep-holes near the tops, as they had 
seen again and again. It surprised them to find that 
in some cases there were as many as four or five addi- 
tional rooms connected, one after another, with the 
main room, and that not infrequently the additional 
rooms communicated with an inner room large enough 
to hold a great many people. The extra rooms, far- 
ther back in the soft rock, had evidently been provided 
for a refuge. It is interesting too, to note that at 
least in one case the larger room in the rear was con- 
nected with a smaller one in which had been stored a 
quantity of dried maize or Indian corn. 

“ It’s old and tough,” said Bill, “ yit a feller might 
eat it ef he wuz druv to it.” 

1 66 


The Jaws of Death 

But the most interesting of all the explorations were 
those of the underground galleries or tunnels. These 
Happy was especially anxious to follow. Every now 
and then the gallery branched so that it was difficult to 
determine which one to choose. 

On one occasion while making these explorations, 
Happy had unconsciously gotten far ahead of Bill and 
had come to one of the branchings. Keeping in the 
gallery which as nearly as he could determine ex- 
tended directly toward the north, he went ahead and, 
without knowing it, became completely separated from 
his companion. Even when he discovered that he had 
left Bill behind, he was not worried, since, as he said to 
himself : 

“ A fellow like Bill will have no trouble in track- 
ing me wherever I go,” for each of them had lighted an 
estrana. 

The gallery Happy had been following was shut 
off in several places by wooden doors that were bolted 
or barred on the side from which he had been 
coming. He had, therefore, no difficulty in opening 
them and proceeding on his way. At last he came to 
what at first seemed to be the end of the gallery. 
Near the floor he found, as he had expected to find, 
a narrow opening through which he did not hesitate 
to crawl until he found himself in a dark room. Im- 
mediately opposite to where he had entered there was 
another opening which led into another room, and 
from this still another opening leading into a third 
room. From this last room, looking through a peep- 
167 


The Jaws of Death 

hole, by standing on a place cut for the purpose, he 
could see a cowboy lying on a bed of spruce branches 
in a well-lighted room. This man was Pete, for 
Happy had succeeded in finding the cave in which the 
cowboy guide of Robert Harold Gordon, Jr., had been 
imprisoned by Joseph Smith. 

Purposely making a noise so as to attract the man’s 
attention, Happy cried: 

“ I’m coming into the room, stranger. You needn’t 
be afraid. Pm a friend.” 

The man at once sprang to his feet and stood near 
the opening through which Happy was crawling with 
his lighted estrana in his hand. 

“ Whar did ye come from, kid ? ” exclaimed the 
man. 

“ From a number of galleries that lead through the 
soft rock back of this place from a cliff village.” 

“ Kin ye let me out of this blooming place?” in- 
quired the man eagerly. 

“ I not only can but will,” was the reply. 

“ Then ye be a friend indeed,” said Pete, grasping 
him eagerly by the hand. 

As they began to relate their experiences footsteps 
were heard, and soon Colorado Bill crawled into the 
room through the narrow opening. 

“ Ye scared me thet time, Hap,” he said. “ I feared 
ye’d git lost in them blamed crooked tunnelings.” And 
then suddenly turning to the man, whom he recognized, 
he cried: 

“ Hello, Pete ! I be rale glad to see ye. Thought ye 
1 68 


The Jaws of Death 

were dead long ago. What hev ye been doin’ all this 
time?” 

“ Been lying in this house a’most eatin’ my heart out 
fer fear I should fergit what I owed Joe Smith fer 
keepin’ me here.” 

“ Wall,” replied Bill with a grin, “ I reckon ye kin 
remember thet; but now tell me how ye got into this 
place.” 

They then began to relate their many adventures. 
It seemed very odd to both Happy and Bill that they 
should have come in this manner to the relief of a man 
who had been the guide of the younger Gordon. 
While Pete, on his part, could scarcely credit the 
statement that the lad who had first found him in his 
cave prison, was one of a party from the far East 
who came solely for the purpose of finding the two 
mining engineers. When he learned that Happy and 
Bill had just escaped from six Pueblo Indians, and 
that as soon as they could safely do so they intended 
to follow Joseph Smith and his white captives, he 
said : 

“ I’ll go with ye, Bill. I’m bound to meet thet feller 
Joe Smith, and I’m also bound to free the white 
gentleman I guided to this country.” 


CHAPTER XIV 


On the Tracks of Joseph Smith and the Gordons 

We must now return to the combined parties of En- 
gleman and Blank in their pursuit of Joseph Smith 
and his white prisoners. Under the guidance of 
Awake-in-the-Night, they had no difficulty in picking 
up the trail and rapidly following it toward the north- 
west, through western Colorado, across several 
branches of the Grand River, the principal tributary 
of the Colorado. They were now close to the eastern 
boundary of Utah. 

They had been traveling through a part of what 
is known to geologists as the Plateau Region. Al- 
though, generally speaking, it possesses a sufficiently 
uniform surface properly to rank as a plateau, or high 
plain, yet its surface is far from being uniformly level. 
On the contrary, it is crossed by numerous detached 
mountains, isolated buttes, and mesas. The upper 
portions of both buttes and mesas still retain the gen- 
eral level the original plateau had before it had been 
cut and sculptured by rains and other atmospheric 
agencies. 

From the drainage of the plateau, which is effected 
almost entirely by the Colorado River system, it can 
be seen that the land slopes toward the main river 
channel; that is, generally toward the south and west. 

170 


The Jaws of Death 

The Plateau Region extends through much of the 
western part of Colorado, through all of Utah, ex- 
cept the northwestern part, and through much of New 
Mexico and Arizona. In some places its separation 
from the surrounding country is sharply marked, since 
on the southeast the channel of the Rio Grande forms 
its boundary. In other regions it requires much study 
to determine just where the plateau ends and the sur- 
rounding district begins. (See Appendix B, “The 
Plateau Region.”) 

The remains of many extinct volcanoes are found 
on the borders of the Plateau Region, while in some 
parts of the district molten rock had been forced up 
from beneath the surface through vast fissures and, 
hardening in them, had formed the well-known dikes. 
In other places it had flowed over parts of the sur- 
face, which it had covered with level beds of basalt. 

While the pursuers had no difficulty in finding and 
following the tracks of Smith and his companions, yet 
they had not been able to get near enough to see them. 
Indeed, it almost seemed as though Smith and his 
party were actually playing with them; as if they 
wished to show how easy it was to keep just beyond 
their reach. They ascribed this failure to various 
causes. It was, they declared, due to the fact that the 
pursued had better horses, or because of their more 
intimate acquaintance with the character of the coun- 
try through which they were passing. 

Indeed, the latter might well have been the princi- 
pal reason had it not been for the fact that Awake-in- 
171 


The Jaws of Death 

the-Night was probably as well acquainted with the 
country as Joseph Smith or any of his associates. But 
whatever was the true cause, this much was certain, 
they had not been able to overtake those they were 
pursuing, and the prospects of their doing so very 
soon were not encouraging. They were disappointed; 
but probably the two who felt it most were Petrome- 
linski and Blank. 

“ Blank,” said the Russian detective on the day they 
had crossed the Colorado boundary and passed into 
Utah, “ I don’t think much of the manner in which we 
have been carrying on this pursuit. Joe Smith has 
beaten us so badly that we have been unable even to 
get a glimpse of him. If this keeps up I fear he will 
not only escape and the two Gordons remain in cap- 
tivity, but that Mashinsky will also get off.” 

“ That’s the way I’ve been squaring it, Ivan,” said 
Blank. “ But what would you suggest ? ” He knew 
his friend well enough to feel sure he would not have 
made so severe a criticism had he not some definite 
plan to propose. 

“ We should give up trying to reach the fellows by 
following them and try something else.” 

“ And what is this something else, Ivan ? ” inquired 
Blank eagerly. 

“ That we try to find out as nearly as possible where 
the gold mines are that Smith wishes to sell, and who 
the Eastern parties are he is expecting to meet.” 

“ And how do vou think we can best do this ? ” in- 
quired Blank. 


172 


The Jaws of Death 

“ Instead of following the trail that Awake-in-the- 
Night has picked up, I propose that we leave Engle- 
man and his party, go to the mining camps in the 
neighborhood, and tell the miners that two white men 
are being carried away by the Mormons and forced to 
work without pay in the examination of their mining 
interests. If this fact were generally known I feel 
sure Joe Smith’s game would soon be spoiled, so that 
he would either be obliged to give up the Gordons or 
leave this section of country. While at the camps 
we may learn something about the location of Smith’s 
properties and who the Eastern men are to whom he 
hopes to sell.” 

“Your plan is splendid, Ivan!” cried Blank en- 
thusiastically. “ Suppose we talk to Awake-in-the- 
Night and see what else he can tell us about the 
mining claims, then we shall know better what part 
of the country to beat up to put the mining men on 
the lookout.” 

“ You don’t think the Indian will know the names 
of the men who were coming here, do you, Blank ? ” 
inquired Ivan. 

“ He is not likely to.” 

“ I don’t have to tell you, Blank,” said Petrome- 
linski, “ that neither you nor I can afford to let that 
rascal Mashinsky escape the halter. We must run 
him in.” 

Blank made no reply to this, but from the expres- 
sion on his face it was evident that he agreed. He 
simply said in a grim tone: 

173 


The Jaws of Death 

“ Let’s inform Professor Engleman and Mr. Chris- 
tian about our plan. We must be careful how we 
break it to them or they will think we intend deserting 
them.” 

It indeed greatly surprised them when Blank ap- 
proached them on the subject. 

“ Gentlemen,” said he, “ Ivan and I have been talk- 
ing the matter over, and have figured it out that we 
can help you better if we leave you now and look after 
your friends and Mashinsky on our own hook.” 

“ I fear, Blank,” said Petromelinski, “ the gentle- 
men will think that we are deserting them. Now, of 
course, neither you nor I have such intentions. Let 
me explain more fully.” 

“ Your proposed action certainly needs an expla- 
nation, gentlemen,” said Professor Engleman. “ Our 
party is now far from large. Indeed, as you know, 
it is much smaller than the party ahead of us. We 
are certain that in it are the men we came from the 
East to rescue. Moreover, there is a criminal with 
them whom you are in duty bound to arrest. Now, 
how this can be accomplished better by your leaving us 
I must confess I am unable to understand.” 

“ If we were not sure we would have a better chance 
of success in following our plan, I trust you will be- 
lieve that we would not leave you,” said Petromelinski. 
“ I’m sure we can make it plain to you.” 

The detectives explained so fully and clearly the 
plans they had in mind, that before long it became 
clear to both Engleman and Christian that their con- 
174 


The Jaws of Death 

templated action was advisable ; that if well carried out 
there was a reasonable probability of accomplishing all 
they hoped to do. 

Next day the party separated. Petromelinski, 
Blank, and Francksen, together with Fred, who had 
returned with the guides after leaving Blavinski with 
Metchiniskoff at the railroad station, left the others 
and struck across the country toward the west, while 
the rest of the party, together with Sam Lung and the 
man they had engaged to take Bill’s place in his ab- 
sence, continued on their way to the northwest. 

The decrease in the number of his party was so great 
that Engleman determined that, although they would 
continue the pursuit of Joseph Smith, yet they would 
make no attempt then to rescue the prisoners; they 
would merely endeavor to keep near them and await 
developments. At the same time they determined to 
do what Petromelinski and his companion were to do ; 
i. e., to leave at all the mining towns and camps they 
visited a full description of the men they were fol- 
lowing and the prisoners they were taking with them. 

It must not be supposed that because no mention has 
been made in the preceding chapters of geology and 
mineralogy that our friends had lost their interest in 
these studies. On the contrary, the men frequently 
explained to the boys the many interesting things they 
were constantly passing. There are probably few re- 
gions in the great Southwest where so much can be 
learned in this direction as in the great Plateau Region. 
175 


The Jaws of Death 

Although the greater portion of the surface was al- 
most entirely free from vegetation, so that the colora- 
tion due to vegetable life was lacking, yet to some 
extent this was more than made up for by the different 
colors of the surface rocks or soils; for here iron and 
other mineral substances, under the influence of at- 
mospheric agencies, had painted the surface with hues 
of reds, browns, blues, purples, and yellows, with an 
especial preponderance of yellows. 

The country lent itself wonderfully in many places 
to the study of geology. Instead of the upper strata 
only being visible, as in most districts, when the strata 
are thrown down over one another in nearly horizontal 
layers, as they are here the rivers, and in places even 
the smaller streams, had cut deep gullies through the 
strata so that a number of the exposed strata could 
be readily studied. 

In many places the strata were exceedingly rich in 
the fossil remains of the flora and fauna that lived on 
the lands and in the waters that formed portions of the 
surface rocks. It was, indeed, a great opportunity for 
the boys to learn something about paleontology, or 
the science of ancient animal and plant life; a subject 
with which both Engleman and Christian were thor- 
oughly familiar. 

Norman had taken great interest in this branch of 
geology, and as for Rob, his inherited abilities came 
out each day more and more prominently. 

But with all their interest in the wonderful things 
around them, the boys greatly missed Happy. They 
176 


The Jaws of Death 

feared he had been killed or would be held so securely 
as a prisoner that he would never return. As for Rob, 
he also mourned their failure to rescue his grandfather 
and father. 

Seeing that Norman was grieving over Happy, his 
uncle endeavored to console him by saying : 

“ I don’t think you need worry about Happy? He 
is fully able to care for himself. You may rest as- 
sured he will manage somehow or other to make his 
escape. Don’t forget too, that Bill has gone after him. 
Bill, as you know, is an unusually able man for this 
kind of work. And then too,” he added, “ you and 
Robert must not forget that Bill loves Happy quite as 
much as any of us do, and will leave nothing undone 
to bring him back to us.” 

Awake-in-the-Night, who had been listening to the 
above conversation, turning to Rob said : 

“ Don’t worry, young medicine man ; Smile-on-his- 
Face bright and quick. Can take care of himself. 
Awake-in-the-Night believes Smile-on-his-Face was 
taken by Pueblos to make a medicine man of him. 
They no hurt but be heap kind to him.” 

The comfortable way in which mineralogy and ge- 
ology could be studied, as it were hand in hand, de- 
lighted the boys. They had now become so familiar 
with the characteristic appearance of what is known 
as the country or surface rocks, that they were able to 
distinguish almost at a glance the differences between 
marls, sandstones, conglomerates, and limestones, and 
1 77 


M 


The Jaws of Death 

were able to distinguish them from the dark-colored 
rocks, the basalts, with which they were constantly 
meeting as they rode over the surface. Then, when 
they approached the main rivers, they had an oppor- 
tunity for seeing the wonderful exposures that had 
been made in the great canons or gorges that had been 
cut through the thousands of feet of the surface rocks, 
during the hundreds of thousands of years the rivers 
had been flowing through that region. 

Mesas and buttes were objects that could not fail to 
attract their attention. These varied greatly in color 
and size. The low mesas were generally dry and de- 
void of vegetation. The higher ones were frequently 
provided with a green vegetable covering. In some 
places, along the smaller streams, there were to be 
seen fringes of vegetation they had all learned to recog- 
nize as willows and box elders, with here and there 
small groves of cotton-woods. 

One characteristic of portions of the country that 
interested them was the different condition of the 
loose soils, or sands, formed by the disintegration or 
wearing away of the various surface rocks. In some 
places these consisted of loose ashes; in others, where 
the rocks had been formed of colored marls, or loosely 
compacted sandstones, they had been broken up by 
the atmosphere into sands that, carried by the winds, 
had been piled up in drifts. In places the dif- 
ferently colored sands were mixed together, pro- 
ducing a somewhat subdued coloration, yet frequently 
their difference in specific gravities had enabled the 
i 7 8 


The Jaws of Death 

winds so to sort out the colors, that patches of beau- 
tiful golden, vermilion, yellow, brown, and white sands 
were to be seen arranged in successive stripes/ that 
looked as if nature had been weaving, on a grand scale, 
a huge fabric, with the shifting colored sands instead 
of wool for warp and weft. 

When the rock was a conglomerate, there were to 
be found beautiful specimens of highly colored agates, 
carnelian, jaspers, onyx, sardonyx, and chalcedony 
pebbles, that had been polished by the action of the 
air forming a kind of sandblast that made them so 
attractive that the boys were constantly obliged to 
throw away specimens they had already collected, in 
order to be able to carry others that seemed to them 
to be more beautiful. 

In addition to the above minerals, they obtained 
both here and elsewhere specimens of both common and 
precious opals of various colors, and also garnets. 

In passing through such a country, it would be im- 
possible for any one to fail to learn a great deal, but 
in the case of brainy boys, who had with them 
men who were both able and willing to explain the 
wonders that surrounded them, it was a great oppor- 
tunity for instruction in those branches. 

On leaving Engleman and his party, Petromelinsky 
and Blank visited the different mining towns in the 
neighborhood, leaving at each place full information 
concerning Smith and his companions. The fact that 
two white men were being carried away by Mormons, 
179 


The Jaws of Death 

who were not overmuch liked by the Gentiles, prom- 
ised to make matters interesting for Smith if he should 
appear with his prisoners. 

But what made the information the men brought the 
more interesting to perhaps most of the miners, was 
the description they gave of the fugitive criminal, 
Mashinsky, and the offer by Blank of a reward of 
one thousand dollars for his arrest. He had no hesita- 
tion in doing this, since Blavinski had not only left 
with him a large sum for expenses, but had also au- 
thorized him to draw on him for any additional funds 
that might be needed. 

At first they had but little hope of being able to lo- 
cate the claims of Smith, but at last they were fortu- 
nate in meeting an Eastern prospector who had had 
some business with the Mormons. He told them he 
understood that Smith had two gold prospects situated 
about fifty miles north of the junction of the Green and 
the Grand Rivers, that he was expecting to sell them to 
two Eastern men who he believed were due there in a 
day or two. 

When Petromelinski and his companions received 
this information they immediately headed for the 
neighborhood. 


180 


CHAPTER XV 


An Adventure of Rob and Norman in the 
Bad Lands 

In certain portions of the country over which they had 
recently been passing, were extended districts covered 
by deposits that had been thrown down from the 
waters of the great lakes that long ago had covered 
them. In these arid districts these loosely compacted 
soils had assumed, under the combined action of the 
rains and the atmosphere, exceedingly irregular sur- 
faces that in some places were very difficult if not al- 
most impossible to cross. 

One day they had been passing over a region in 
which these irregularities of the surface greatly re- 
tarded their progress. Their water-bottles were 
empty and they were beginning to suffer from thirst. 
They were therefore much pleased when Awake-in-the- 
Night, pointing to a fringe of cotton-woods on an 
arroyo about half a mile distant, said : 

“ Find water there. Not good water, but water to 
drink.” 

When they reached the arroyo they found a pool of 
a slightly alkaline water that was however better than 
nothing. 

Turning to Professor Engleman, Awake-in-the- 
Night inquired while pointing to the place: 

1S1 


The Jaws of Death 

“ Camp here, or make dry camp farther on ? ” 

The Indian meant that this was the last water pool 
they could reach before the setting of the sun. If they 
went farther it would be necessary to carry from this 
pool all the water needed for their horses as well as for 
their own use. They decided, therefore, to camp by 
the pool. 

While the boys were attending to their mounts, Rob 
exclaimed : 

“ Of all the miserable regions through which we 
have passed, this certainly beats them all. What kind 
of country do you call this, anyhow ? ” he inquired of 
Awake-in-the-Night, who was attending to the other 
horses. 

“ Awake-in-the-Night call it Bad Lands. Heap bad 
lands.” 

“ What does he mean by bad lands, Rob? ” inquired 
Norman. “ Does he mean lands that are bad for 
traveling over, or lands that are bad for vegetation ? ” 

“ You certainly could not have been thinking much 
when you asked that first question, Norman. Can’t 
you see without asking that these lands must be bad 
for traveling? If your mount is as tired as mine seems 
to be, and your legs had received as many blows from 
stumbling as his, you would not need to be told that 
these lands are called bad lands because they are so 
wretched for traveling over. As for your other ques- 
tion, whether these lands are bad for vegetation, can 
you not see that the soil must be very poor since most 
of the country is a desert ? ” 

182 


The Jaws of Death 

Norman turned to the Indian and asked : 

“ What makes the lands so bad, Awake-in-the- 
Night? ” 

“ Spirits of the dead say to white people, ‘ Don’t 
come here. Leave us alone.’ White people come. 
Spirits angry and make lands bad.” 

Professor Engleman and Christian, who had over- 
heard Rob’s remarks, began smiling, and Engleman 
said to Christian: 

“ Show the lad where he was wrong about the Bad 
Lands being necessarily bad lands for vegetation, 
John.” 

“ I will, Joe,” he replied, and then turning to Rob he 
said : 

“ My lad, the statement you made to Norman in 
regard to vegetation was incorrect. As you probably 
know, there are four conditions necessary for vigor- 
ous vegetable growth: the proper soil, and an abun- 
dance of light, heat, and moisture. Now there is cer- 
tainly plenty of light and heat here. The soil too is 
excellent. The one thing lacking is water. If, there- 
fore, these lands could be irrigated they would not be 
bad for vegetation. When the land is sufficiently level 
to be irrigated it is capable of raising wonderful crops. 
Of course, you understand,” he added, “ that it would 
be impossible to get water to flow naturally over sur- 
faces so irregular as those you see around you. To do 
this the water would have to break through the habit 
of only flowing over nearly level surfaces and not 
running up hill unless forced to do so.” 

183 


The Jaws of Death 

“ I spoke without thinking,” said Rob. “ I know 
that most of the soil in this part of the country will 
raise good crops if it gets sufficient water, at least, 
provided there is not too much alkali in it. I have not 
forgotten,” he added, “ the wonderful crops we saw in 
the irrigation districts, while crossing the Colorado 
Desert. I suppose,” he added, “ a little alkali improves 
the soil, does it not?” 

“ It does,” was the reply; “ but when present beyond 
a certain amount it is very injurious to a soil. If, 
however, the water is permitted to continue to flow 
long enough over alkali soils, in irrigated districts, 
most of the alkali is washed out, and the remaining soil 
is then capable of raising splendid crops.” 

“ Is it known, Mr. Christian,” inquired Norman, 
“ what it is that makes the Bad Lands ? ” 

“ What kind of bad lands do you mean, Norman? ” 
inquired Mr. Christian. 

“ Do you mean by that, sir, that there is more than 
one kind? ” 

“ Oh, yes,” was the reply. “ There are a great 
variety of bad lands, though I think for our present 
purposes we can arrange them in two classes only; 
i. e., the Bad Bad Lands and the Good Bad Lands.” 

“ And which, sir,” inquired Rob, laughing, “ are 
the lands around us? But I need not ask that,” he 
continued, “ since any one can see that they must be 
the Bad Bad Lands. I hardly think the worst lands 
imaginable could go ahead of these in this place.” 

“ I grant you, my lad, that the lands here certainly 


The Jaws of Death 

do look pretty bad, and yet I am sorry to say that you 
are again mistaken. The lands here are often known 
as the Good Bad Lands, in order to distinguish them 
from those lying farther to the north that are known 
as Bad Bad Lands.” 

What the boys had heard so greatly astonished them 
that they were silent for some time. Their friends, be- 
ing sensible men, also kept silent to permit what had 
been heard to sink in as it were. 

The boys were evidently examining the surrounding 
country and making careful mental note of the pecu- 
liarities of the Bad Lands that had merited, when 
compared with lands situated elsewhere, the somewhat 
doubtful title of the Good Bad Lands. Clearly, this 
doubtful goodness could not arise from the surface 
being fairly level, for here it was cut and gullied in 
such an extremely irregular manner that, supposing 
they pitched their tents in the place on which they 
were standing, it would be difficult even to find a 
sufficiently extended smooth surface over which to 
throw their blankets for comfortable beds. The sur- 
face was covered by little mounds, so crowded together 
that there was hardly room to step between them, 
while their summits were formed of such crumbling 
material that if one attempted to step from hilltop to 
hilltop the loose soil would so crumble that he would 
be unable to keep his footing. Occasionally there 
were stretches of fairly level country, over which the 
differently colored sands had been strewn by the winds 
and arranged in parallel patches like the great and 

185 


The Jaws of Death 

many-colored sand blanket before referred to. When 
lighted in many places by the hot, glowing sun, a mass 
of wonderful coloration appeared. 

Norman was evidently looking at the landscape from 
an artistic and not from the utilitarian standpoint 
from which Rob was regarding it; for, without ad- 
dressing his remarks to any one especially, he said : 

“ The Bad Lands may be difficult to cross, but they 
are very beautiful in appearance. Look at the magnifi- 
cent colors. The little mounds there glow as if they 
were formed of pure gold.” 

“ They may be pretty to look at, Norman,” said Rob, 
“ but I think you’ll find them a very hot place to cross.” 

“ You are at least right there, Rob,” said Professor 
Engleman. “ This is a very hot place. I once heard 
a distinguished naturalist, in speaking about these par- 
ticular Bad Lands, say that the air is so hot that the 
temperature is 120° F. in the shade, with, however, 
no shade.” 

At the request of the boys, Professor Engleman ex- 
plained briefly how, when the surface rock consisted of 
unconsolidated lake deposits, the combined action of 
the occasional rains as they ran rapidly off the surface, 
together with the slower action of the atmosphere, 
leave the sands and clays in all kinds of irregularities, 
varying, as in the place in which they were standing, 
from rounded knobs resembling closely placed potato 
hills to the more extended buttes and mesas. 

“ In the case of the mesas you see far to our north- 
east,” he added, “ the surface has been worn into 
186 


The Jaws of Death 

shapes resembling castles or ruined cities, on an ex- 
ceedingly grand scale. It is these lands that are known 
as the Bad Lands, or, as they were originally called by 
a French name, Manvaises Terres. 

“ The Bad Lands,” continued Professor Engleman, 
“ are generally worse to the north, in Wyoming, al- 
though here, south of the Uinta Mountains, they are 
certainly bad enough. It was in this district,” he 
added, “ that General Hughes describes a mesa, the 
outlines of which so closely resembled the ruins of a 
city that he named the place the Goblin City.” (See 
Appendix C, “ Bad Lands.”) 

The boys attended personally to their mounts. The 
rest of the horses were still being looked after. Pro- 
fessor Engleman and Mr. Christian were sitting on 
their blankets talking, and Sam Lung, the Chinese 
cook, was preparing supper. Feeling like taking a 
walk, Rob and Norman asked permission to examine 
a small butte of an exceedingly fantastic shape about 
half a mile to their left. 

“ There is no objection,” said the professor, “ only 
don’t go too far and be sure you are back in time for 
supper — say an hour and a half from now. Of course,” 
he said, “ you understand how dangerous it might be 
to get lost in the Bad Lands. If you are careful, how- 
ever, there should be no danger.” 

Neither of the gentlemen believed in putting too 
many restrictions on the boys who had been placed 
under their care. They did not think, therefore, there 
187 


The Jaws of Death 

was any danger in permitting them to go off to study 
the butte more closely. 

The boys had intended to go directly toward the 
distant butte, but a curious coloration of the surface 
near them led them to change the direction, and while 
it is true that the butte formed no inconspicuous object 
in the landscape, yet when they passed hillock after 
hillock it was soon completely lost sight of. 

They saw so much to interest them that they finally 
gave up all idea of examining the butte, and kept 
wandering from place to place for fully three-quarters 
of an hour, when Rob, looking at his watch, said : 

“We had better be getting back to camp, Norman. 
Our time is nearly up.” 

“ All right,” replied Norman, “ but let us first look 
at that curious place over there, where it looks as if 
some one had been building a long, black wall.” 

“ Why, that’s only a dike of basalt, Norman. We 
have often seen dikes before. What do you see curious 
about it? ” 

“ It is not the wall I wish to examine, Rob, but the 
queer-looking rock beyond it.” 

“ It does look odd for a fact,” said Rob. “ Well, 
we’ll go look at it and then hurry back to camp.” 

As is often the case with such things, when they 
came to look more closely at the place on the other side 
of the dike, they found nothing at all in it that sur- 
prised them. It was merely some curious effect pro- 
duced by colored shadows. 

In order to make up for lost time they started off 
1 88 


The Jaws of Death 

nearly on a run, but somehow or other the country 
around them had a different appearance from anything 
they remembered seeing. 

“ I don’t understand this, Norman,” said Rob, 
pointing to a place where the surface was covered with 
the same rounded hills through which they had been 
passing, but now of different sizes and differently 
grouped. “Do you remember any hills like these?” 

“ I am certain I have not seen them before,” was 
the reply. 

“ Then I’m afraid we have lost our way,” said Rob. 
“ All we have to do then is to look for our tracks and 
follow them back to camp.” 

But it was easier to say this than to do it. Although 
both boys had now some little experience in picking- 
up the tracks of others, they were unable to find those 
they had made themselves. Without becoming un- 
necessarily alarmed they kept searching for them, at 
the same time directing a somewhat anxious look oc- 
casionally to the sun that was now getting dangerously 
near the horizon. 

While doing this Rob became greatly excited at 
something he saw in the west ; for, suddenly falling on 
his face, he cried to Norman : 

“ Lie down flat, Norman, so you will not be seen.” 

Norman did so, but at the same time saying in a sur- 
prised tone : 

“ What do you see, Rob ? ” 

Rob simply pointed with his hand to the west. 
Looking in this direction, Norman saw about half a 
189 


The Jaws of Death 

mile from where they were lying, a number of mounted 
men rapidly riding in single file, and apparently toward 
the north. 

“ They are not coming in our direction, Rob,” ex- 
claimed Norman, “ are they ? ” 

“ No ; they are going in another direction,” was the 
reply. 

They had their glasses with them, and continued 
looking at the procession of rapidly moving men. 

“ They’re Indians ! ” cried Norman. 

“ Most of them are, but look at the two near the 
end of the line,” Rob said in so curious a tone that 
Norman took his eyes from his glasses and fixed them 
on Rob. 

“ What excites you so, Rob ? ” he inquired. 

“ Look at those two white men. Do you think they 
are Mormons ? ” 

“ I do not,” was the reply, “ though I think the 
white men near the head of the line are. But what is 
the matter, Rob,” he inquired, turning his glasses to- 
ward the white men near the rear. “ Do you think you 
recognize them, Rob ? ” 

“ I can distinctly recognize one of them as my 
father,” was the reply. “ I think the other is my 
grandfather, but I am not quite certain. If it is, his 
hair has whitened considerably since I last saw him.” 

“ What will we do, Rob? ” inquired Norman. “ Of 
course, we can’t follow them,” 

“ Certainly not,” was the reply, “ that would be 
foolish. There are at least thirty men in that crowd.” 

190 



“ ‘ Look at those two white men. Do 
you think they are Mormons?’” 

Page 190 






























































































































































































































* 














































































•; 


























































































































































































































The Jaws of Death 

“ Then let us get back to camp as soon as we can and 
tell what we have seen.” 

“We will try to get back as soon as possible, but 
don’t forget we have lost our way. Of course, we must 
remain hiding here until they have passed out of 
sight, or some of them will come back and take us 
prisoners.” 

“ Doesn’t your father look well, Rob ? ” inquired 
Norman, while he was looking at him through the 
glasses. 

“ He certainly does,” was the reply. “ Hello,” he 
continued, “did you see that, Norman? I wonder if 
anything has happened to father,” for at this moment 
the younger of the white men stopped as if to fix some- 
thing about his horse ; for he had dismounted and was 
adjusting one of his stirrups. 

The others had gone on. When the man was about 
to remount his horse he threw something on the ground 
that looked like a letter, and then rapidly mounting, 
spurred his horse toward the two Indians at the end 
of the column who had waited for him. 

“ It looked as if father has purposely dropped a 
letter for some one to pick up, Norman,” exclaimed 
Rob. 

“ I think he did, Rob.” 

The boys continued watching the moving column 
until it had disappeared, then hurriedly going toward 
the place they picked up the piece of paper that had 
been left by the white man. 

Opening it, Rob said excitedly : 

191 


The Jaws of Death 

“ See, Norman, this letter is signed Robert Harold 
Gordon, Jr.” 

“ Let’s hear it, Rob,” said Norman eagerly. 

Rob then read the following letter : 

I am a white man, a mining engineer from the East. I 
have been held in captivity for more than a year by a Mor- 
mon named Joseph Smith. Another man, my father, also 
a mining engineer, has been held in captivity for over five 
years by the same Mormons. Our captors compel us to 
work on their mining properties without pay. Owing to a 
serious blow on his head, my father has lost all memory of 
the past, and is even unable to remember his own name or to 
recognize me, his son. He retains, however, great ability as 
a mining engineer, and talks intelligently about anything 
pertaining to his profession. 

For a long time I have been trying to escape with my 
father, but my captors keep a close watch on us. 

There is another captive, a cowboy named Pete, who acted 
as my guide. He is kept a close prisoner in a lonely cliff 
house, a half-mile to the north of the ruins of a deserted 
cliff village in one of the tributary canons of the Rio Mancos, 
not far from where it empties into the San Juan. 

The writer implores whoever finds this letter to have 
copies of it posted in the different mining camps and towns 
throughout Colorado, Utah, Arizona, and New Mexico. Un- 
less he greatly mistakes the character of the white men of 
these districts, they will see that this kind of slavery is quickly 
put an end to. Signed, Robert Harold Gordon, Jr. 

Rob was greatly affected by the signature which he 
distinctly recognized. 

“ I am beginning to believe, Norman, that some- 
how or other, just how I don’t know, my father and 
grandfather will soon be liberated. Let us now see if 
we can find our way back to the camp. 

192 


The Jaws of Death 

Had getting back depended on themselves it is a 
question whether they would have succeeded, for the 
sun had just sunk below the horizon and the night was 
rapidly coming on, in the way so characteristic of this 
part of the country. 

As soon as the lads were missed, Awake-in-the- 
Night had been sent to follow their tracks. He had 
no difficulty in doing this, and before long found them 
and returned with them to camp. 

Engleman and Christian who had gone to meet them 
at once observed, from the peculiar expression in Rob’s 
face, that something unusual had occurred. 

“ What has happened, Rob ? ” inquired the professor. 
“ I see you have something important to tell us. Let 
us hear it quickly.” 

“ I have just seen my father and I think my grand- 
father,” said Rob. 

“ Where ? ” inquired both men eagerly. 

Rob explained what had occurred, handing the letter 
to Professor Engleman, who at once read it to Chris- 
tian. 

“ I recognize the handwriting, Joe,” said Christian. 
“ I have heard of the cowboy, Pete, who was with 
Robert’s father.” 

There was an eager discussion as to what they 
would better do under the circumstances. 

“ How unfortunate it is,” said Engleman, “ that 
Petromelinski and Blank are not here. We are now 
too small a party to think of attacking the men who 
have gone on ahead ; for, in addition to those the boys 
N 193 


The Jaws of Death 

saw, there are probably others who are waiting near 
the prospects Smith is endeavoring to sell.” 

“We must do the best we can without Petromelinski 
or Blank,” said Christian. 

After much deliberation it was determined that En- 
gleman and Awake-in-the-Night should leave as soon 
as possible and go back to a mining town they had 
passed through the day before. In the meanwhile, 
Christian, with the other Indian guide, would follow 
after them so as barely to keep them in sight. 

Without waiting for the day to break, Engleman 
left with the Indian for the mining camp, while, shortly 
after the rising of the sun, Christian and his com- 
panions picked up the trail of the party that had been 
seen by Rob and Norman, and cautiously followed it. 


194 


CHAPTER XVI 


Petromelinski and Blank as Purchasers of 
Mining Claims 

“ I wish a report on these claims as soon as possible. 
How soon can you let me have it ? ” 

“ To make a preliminary report will require two or 
three days. For a fuller report we must have one or 
two months, since deep borings must be made with 
diamond drills, shafts sunk, and specimens of cores 
sent to assayers.” 

“ A preliminary report will do for the present. Be 
sure that you make it as favorable as possible.” 

“ It will be a true report and nothing more,” was 
the reply in a cold tone. 

The speakers were Joseph Smith and Robert Harold 
Gordon, Jr. The place was near the mining claims on 
which the report was desired. The properties were the 
ones Joseph Smith hoped to sell to the Eastern capital- 
ists. 

Smith did not intend permitting the engineers to see 
the capitalists. He knew that if the parties came to- 
gether, the younger Gordon would speak about the 
captivity in which he and his father were held and ask 
their aid. The Gordons had, therefore, been brought 
to the properties early each morning, and taken away 
before sunset, while Indian scouts, placed along the 
195 


The Jaws of Death 

route by which the men from the East were expected 
to come, were to bring word should they arrive sooner 
than had been expected. 

There are exceptions to most rules, yet it can gener- 
ally be assumed that when a Western man, engaged in 
mining and owning a number of properties, is ready 
to sell some of them, it is not always the best of his 
properties that he parts with. On the contrary, those 
selected for sale are apt to be weak in certain directions, 
and this whether the properties be mere prospects or 
actual mines. 

As my older readers know, there is a great difference 
between a prospect and a mine. It may be well, how- 
ever, for those not informed on such subjects to state 
briefly in what this difference consists. A prospect is 
an undeveloped claim, while a mine is a property on 
which shafts have been sunk, and horizontal galleries 
or tunnels, known as levels or drifts, extended in both 
directions along the vein. A property cannot be cor- 
rectly called a mine until two or more of these levels' 
have been driven and assays made of average speci- 
mens taken throughout, so as to determine the amount 
of paying ore in sight. When this work is done in- 
telligently and honestly, it is possible to calculate the 
amount of ore that can be mined, its value, as well as 
the cost of taking it from the vein, placing it in the mill, 
and extracting the metal. 

It is sometimes incorrectly said that mining, es- 
pecially gold mining, is a pure gamble ; that when one 
loses money in such an enterprise he only gets what 
196 


The Jaws of Death 

he deserves. Now, it can be shown that gold mining, 
when properly carried on, offers, as a rule, less business 
risks than any regular manufacturing business, and 
the reason is evident. 

In an ordinary manufacturing business the uncer- 
tain elements are the cost of the raw materials laid 
down at the factory, the cost of production, the cost of 
selling, and the extent and character of the market. 
These being known, the total costs, and consequently 
the total profit and loss, is a matter of simple calcula- 
tion. 

Now gold mining, provided it is not the mining of 
a prospect, but of a true mine in which a definite 
amount of paying ore has been stoped or marked out, 
and its average value ascertained by reliable assays, 
should be far less a matter of chance than almost any 
ordinary manufacturing business; since the quantity 
of the ore, the cost of placing it in the mills, and of 
extracting the metal from it can be closely calculated. 
As regards the cost of selling, and the extent of the 
market for the finished product, gold mining possesses 
advantages over perhaps all other manufacturing 
products. It has the world for its market, and the 
price paid for it seldom differs much from twenty 
dollars per troy ounce. 

But the above is true for mines only, not for pros- 
pects. Generally speaking, a prospect is but a care- 
fully measured tract extending along the middle of 
what is known as a vein, for equal distances on each 
side. 


197 


The Jaws of Death 

The first step in gold mining is the location of what 
is known as a prospect. This is done by prospectors, 
who carefully examine the districts where the ore 
sought is believed to exist. In prospecting for gold, 
except in placer mines, it is generally a vein that is 
sought. When this has been found specimens of the 
mineral matter filling the vein are taken, and a rough 
estimate of the amount of gold present is determined. 

The most reliable method of sampling ores is by 
assaying, or chemically analyzing them. This method, 
however, would be impracticable in the field. Resort, 
therefore, is had to what is known as panning, a 
method that, in the hands of an expert, is capable of 
giving fairly reliable results. 

Gold panning is a very simple process. It is only 
suitable for what are known as free-milling ores; i. e., 
ores throughout which metallic gold is distributed in 
minute particles. These particles, being far heavier 
than fragments of the same size of any of the other of 
the mineral substances present, can be readily separated 
by panning. 

The process of gold panning is as follows : A metallic 
pan, with a circular base about fourteen inches in di- 
ameter, but wider at the top than at the bottom, pro- 
vided with sloping sides, is employed. The specimens 
to be panned, reduced to a powder by grinding in a 
mortar, are thrown into the pan when rather more than 
half filled with water. The contents, thoroughly stirred 
through the water by whirling or shaking the pan, 
are permitted to settle for a moment. Owing to its 
198 


The Jaws of Death 

greater density most of the gold falls to the bottom, 
while the greater bulk of the remaining mineral 
matter remains floating in the water, and is al- 
lowed to escape from one edge of the pan that 
is slightly lowered for that purpose. When skilfully 
done, almost none of the gold escapes with the water 
that flows over the edge of the pan. When most of the 
worthless suspended matter has thus been disposed of, 
the pan is again partially filled with water, and the 
process repeated until nearly all the gold remains, 
scattered as minute grains throughout a very thin 
layer of mineral matter at the bottom of the pan. The 
amount of gold present is estimated by what is known 
as “ colors ” ; for when held in the bright light the 
minute particles scatter yellow light in all directions. 

To most onlookers gold panning seems to be a very 
simple process, but the first efforts of a tenderfoot, as 
the miners call a stranger, are apt to meet with no 
little ridicule. 

After an examination has been made in this way, if 
it is believed the prospect bids fair to be paying, if it 
has been located on a vein — especially on what is 
known as a fissure vein; i. e., a place where a deep 
crack, or fissure, has been formed in the earth’s crust 
and afterward filled with mineral matter, a mining 
claim, or one or more mining claims, are laid out along 
the vein. Under the United States mining laws a 
claim extends for fifteen hundred feet along the vein 
and for two hundred and fifty feet on each side of the 
center. A notice, filed at certain offices located 
199 


The Jaws of Death 

throughout the West by the United States govern- 
ment, enables one to obtain what is known as a mi- 
ning claim. Before the land covered by a claim can be- 
come the exclusive property of the locator, a certain 
amount of money must be expended on it in the way of 
work. This work generally consists in the sinking of 
shafts and the running of levels. 

The mining claims on which the Gordons had been 
requested to prepare a written report as early as possi- 
ble, were not regarded by Smith as among the most 
valuable he owned. 

It sometimes happens in gold mining that prospects 
which are far from promising at the surface increase 
rapidly in value at a short distance below the surface. 
This was believed to be the case by the two Gordons 
with the property in question. 

“ What do you think, father ? ” inquired the younger 
Gordon after the first day’s examination of the prop- 
erty. “ I have no doubt this is a fissure vein. Although 
the hanging wall is indistinct, yet the foot wall is 
clear.” 

Hanging and foot walls are terms commonly em- 
ployed for all fissure veins in which the fissures are 
not vertical but inclined, the foot wall being the lower 
of the inclined walls of the vein, and the hanging wall 
the upper wall. 

“ Entirely correct, sir,” replied the father, for he 
recognized the one speaking as simply another mining 
engineer. 


200 


The Jaws of Death 

The two men then entered into an extended conver- 
sation. As long as this related to matters of mining 
the elder man spoke intelligently. As soon as it turned 
to any other subj'ect, as the son would occasionally do 
in the vain hope of his father regaining some of his 
memory, the answers were incoherent. 

The two men were able to make a fairly good re- 
port of the property. Besides reaching the conclusion 
that it was a true fissure vein, they found that it con- 
tained free-milling ore throughout. Moreover, that it 
extended in a nearly straight line for a sufficient dis- 
tance across the country to warrant four mining claims 
to be filed on it. It was these claims the Gordons were 
examining and that Smith was offering for sale. 

Petromelinski and Blank had lost no time after leav- 
ing Engleman and Christian in visiting a mining town 
in the neighborhood, where they made inquiries as to 
the exact location of the Smith prospects. This they 
had succeeded in obtaining, and even learned the names 
of the two Eastern capitalists. 

“ It is not enough, Blank,” said Petromelinski, 
“ merely to know the names of these men. If we knew 
their appearance as well, and were better posted as to 
when they would reach the properties, we might be able 
to do without the men.” 

While his friend was talking Blank’s face assumed 
so curious an appearance, that Petromelinski suspected 
he had recently received some important information, 
so he said : 


201 


The Jaws of Death 

“ I see you have something up your sleeve, Blank. 
Let’s hear it.” 

“ You’re a sharp one all right, Ivan,” said Blank in 
an approving tone. “ Well, listen to this,” and taking 
a telegram from his pocket, he said : “ I received this 
only a few moments ago from a prospector who 
brought it from the mining town we stopped at yes- 
terday.” 

Blank then read the telegram in which the names 
of the two men were given, together with a statement 
that, having been unexpectedly detained, they would 
not reach the property in Utah until two or three days 
later than they expected. 

“ Who sent you that telegram, Blank ? ” inquired 
Petromelinski. 

“ A friend of mine in the Bureau of Police at Chi- 
cago. I thought the Eastern men would pass through 
that city, and wrote asking him to let me know by wire 
if he heard of two men from the East who were com- 
ing to inspect properties in Utah. But I am not 
through,” he added. “ Listen to the remainder of the 
telegram. As you can see,” he said, when he had read 
it, “ not only does it give the names of the men, but 
also a brief description of their appearance. I imagine 
from what it says that they are about our height and 
weight, but have light instead of dark hair.” 

“ So they have been detained and will be two or 
three days late in reaching the properties ? ” said Pe- 
tromelinski, more as if talking to himself than to his 
companion. 


202 


The Jaws of Death 

“ I see, Ivan,” said Blank, “ you’ve formed the same 
plan I have.” 

“ That is very likely,” was the reply. “ We will 
disguise ourselves so as to represent the Eastern capi- 
talists. In this way we shall be able to get an interview 
with Smith, as well as with either one or both of the 
two Gordons and the fellow Mashinsky. Is that your 
plan ? ” 

“ That’s my plan,” was the reply. 

It was not a difficult matter for the detectives so 
thoroughly to disguise themselves that it would be 
difficult to recognize them even by their intimate 
acquaintances, for both were adepts at this kind of 
work. 

Joseph Smith had already received a telegraphic des- 
patch from the men saying they would be two or three 
days late. When, therefore, the two so-called Eastern 
capitalists called on him at the property, he said in a 
somewhat suspicious tone: 

“ I thought you were not coming for several days.” 

“ That’s right,” said Petromelinski, who had imme- 
diately come to the correct conclusion respecting the 
telegram. “ I see you have received our telegram. 
But at the last moment we found it possible to get off, 
and so we thought we would come on and not keep you 
waiting.” 

“ I received your telegram all right,” was the reply. 

“ If we have come too soon,” said Petromelinski, 
“ there is another property not far from here that we 
203 


The Jaws of Death 

are thinking of examining. We can go there first and 
be back in a week from now.” 

But the fact that the assumed miners or capitalists, 
who for convenience we shall now call by their true 
names, spoke of having sent a telegram completely re- 
moved any suspicion that Smith had concerning them. 
Then too, the bluff that Petromelinski had made of 
examining another property in the neighborhood was 
too much for him, so he said : 

“ You are not here too soon, gentlemen. The report 
is ready. I will send for it. I can take you to the 
property if you are ready to go in a short time.” 

“ How far are we from it? ” inquired Blank. 

“ It is quite near here,” was the reply. “ Wait a 
moment, I’ll be back and go with you in a few 
moments.” 

Now Smith had lied to the two men. He had not 
gone for the report, but in order to send some of the 
Indians to take the two engineers from the property in 
a direction opposite to that in which he would approach 
with the capitalists. 

On his return, Petromelinski and Blank were taken 
to the property. 

“ Let us have the report,” said Blank. 

The two men began reading it over carefully. 

“ Now show us where the vein outcrops and the 
places from which the report says the specimens of 
panned gold were obtained.” 

“ It looks all right,” said Petromelinski to Blank, 
calling him of course by his assumed name, after they 
204 


The Jaws of Death 

had gone twice over the property and had it explained 
by Smith. “ I rather like it, don’t you? ” 

“ It’s a splendid chance,” said Blank in a low tone, 
which, however, he took care was loud enough for 
Smith to hear. “ Shall we buy it? ” he inquired. 

“ I think so,” replied Petromelinski to his com - 8 
panion. “ There’s only one thing I’d like to know, 
whether there will be any difficulty about the payment. 
Will there?” he said, speaking to Smith in a louder 
tone, although he was sure that he had already heard 
all that had been said. 

“ There will be no trouble about that, gentlemen,” 
was the reply. “ You can pay twenty per cent, cash 
down and the eighty per cent, balance in four payments 
of twenty per cent, at the end of each three months.” 

“ You don’t understand me,” protested Petrome- 
linski. “ I want to know what discount you will make 
if all the cash is paid down at once. Of course,” he 
added, “ I know the risk I would be taking in paying 
for the property until we know more about it, but we 
are willing to take the risk provided you make the 
discount sufficiently attractive.” 

“ What would you expect ? ” inquired Smith, de- 
lighted at the thought of receiving ready cash; for he 
did not at all expect the property to show up well, and 
anticipated that the first payment would be the only 
one. 

“ I should say,” was the reply, “ that considering the 
risks we take, you ought to be willing to make a dis- 
count of twenty per cent.” 

205 


The Jaws of Death 

Smith had expected the man to ask at least forty or 
fifty per cent, discount, but concealing his satisfaction, 
he remarked : 

“ Well, twenty per cent, is rather high, but I’ll take 
it.” 

“ But, then,” said Blank, turning to Petromelinski, 
“ we should see the engineers who signed this report, 
or at least one of them. I want to hear why they think 
this is a true fissure vein. It’s all right on one side, but 
how about this other side ? ” And then he added, “ I 
think it likely we’ll buy your claims. But your engi- 
neers should surely take us along the entire vein and 
tell us what they know about it.” 

Although Blank’s request was reasonable, it gave 
Smith much trouble. He desired to make a cash sale 
of the property, but feared to take the risk of permit- 
ting the men to come in contact with the younger 
Gordon. As for the elder Gordon, he would not for a 
moment allow him to be seen ; for if the conversation 
should turn on something not connected with mining 
engineering, the condition of the man’s mind would be 
only too evident, and the value of the report greatly 
decreased. Turning to Blank he said: 

“ One of the engineers has left for a distant mine. 
The other is in the neighborhood. If I can reach him 
before he gets off I will bring him here,” and in a short 
time he returned with the younger Gordon. He had 
concluded to take the risk, threatening to kill the elder 
Gordon should the son make any disclosure to the capi- 
talists. He believed, as was indeed the case, that the 
206 


The Jaws of Death 

son knew him to be capable of such an action, and 
therefore in this manner completely sealed his lips. 

“Are you the Robert Harold Gordon, Jr., whose 
name I find attached to this report? ” inquired Blank. 

“ I am,” was the reply. “ What can I do for you? ” 

“We have almost determined to buy this property 
on a cash basis, but before doing so there are certain 
points I would like more fully explained. Suppose, 
therefore, we walk over the property and discuss these 
points together.” 

“ Tell me what you don’t understand,” was the reply, 
“ and I will do all I can to make it plain to you.” 

“ Suppose we walk along the vein,” said Petromel- 
inski, “ and I will point out to you what I wish ex- 
plained.” 

Joseph Smith closely followed the two men, but he 
found it impossible to keep two men such as Pe- 
tromelinski and Blank in the same place where he and 
his engineer were. Blank constantly insisted on hav- 
ing questions answered concerning points at one part 
of the vein, while Petromelinski was equally anxious 
to have the engineer come to explain a difficult point 
at a distant part of the vein. In this manner Pe- 
tromelinski at last succeeded in drawing Gordon off to 
such a distance from Smith that he was able to talk 
with him, so saying to Gordon in a low tone : 

“ Try not to look surprised at what I am about to 
tell you. Your friend, Prof. Joseph Engleman, a mi- 
ning engineer, is in the neighborhood. Another engi- 
207 


The Jaws of Death 

neer, John Christian, has come with him from the East 
to look for you and your father. We’re making ar- 
rangements to rescue you from this man Smith and 
his band.” 

“ Thank God,” replied Gordon. “ Let me know 
your plans so I can help you.” 

“ Hush ! ” said Petromelinski, “ here comes Smith.” 

As Joseph Smith approached, Petromelinski began 
talking to Gordon as if he were continuing the conver- 
sation they had when Smith was out of hearing. 

“ But I don’t understand,” he said, “ how you figure 
it about the fissure vein at this part of the property. I 
acknowledge it’s all right on the east, but am not 
satisfied with it on the west.” 

“ And yet,” said Gordon, “ as I have already told 
you, there are certain signs here that Pm sure as soon 
as I show to you will make you agree that this is a true 
vein.” 

“ Perhaps I can explain my difficulties to you better 
half a mile from here,” said Petromelinski. “ There is 
a place there I would like to show you.” 

Blank again gave the two men an opportunity to do 
this by calling Smith’s attention to certain phrases in 
the report. He wanted information as to the parties 
who held the properties referred to in the report on 
the east of the properties offered for sale. 

“ Come with me,” said Smith, “ I can tell you just 
as well while we’re walking.” 

“ All right,” said Blank, “ but let me first find in the 
report the places where these properties are especially 
208 


The Jaws of Death 

referred to,” and by the time this was done Petrome- 
linski and Gordon had another private conversation. 

Petromelinski then explained to him the plans he 
had formed, saying that he hoped to be able, about 
three days from that time, to bring a band of deter- 
mined men from the mining town in the neighborhood 
to rescue both him and his father. 

“ There will be some difficulty about persuading my 
father to leave with me,” said Gordon anxiously. 

“ I have heard about that,” said Petromelinski. 
“ Your father is suffering from an injury to his brain 
and can only talk intelligently on mining matters. 
Whatever you do, endeavor to remain either on or near 
the property. I will fix matters with Smith so that he 
will be obliged to have both of you remain.” 

The approach of Blank and Smith again stopped the 
conversation, but Petromelinski had given to Gordon 
all the information he desired, so, after a private con- 
versation with Blank, he said : 

“ Your engineer, Mr. Gordon, has made nearly 
everything satisfactory. We will be back in two or 
three days, when I think we will be ready to pay for 
the property. But we wish first to make inquiries at 
the assay office at which these assays have been made. 
There is also one additional point about which I wish 
to consult a mining friend in the camp.” 

“ What is it about ? ” inquired Smith anxiously. 

“ It is about the other wall of the vein,” was the 
reply. 

“ You’ll find that all right,” remarked Smith, 
o 209 


The Jaws of Death 

Seeing what the assumed Eastern capitalists were 
trying to do, the younger Gordon said : 

“ Don’t turn the property down by reason of that 
side of the vein. I am sure if you will let me walk along 
the entire vein with you I can make it perfectly clear 
that the property is a true fissure vein.” 

“ Well, then,” said Petromelinski, “ be here two or 
three days from now and I’ll give you the opportunity 
you desire. Is that satisfactory? ” he inquired, turning 
to Smith. 

“ Perfectly,” was the reply. 


210 


CHAPTER XVII 


Colorado Bill, Happy, and Pete Get Busy 

“ I think I’ll walk around a little, Bill,” said Happy, 
" until you and Pete get through whinnying.” 

“ All right,” said Bill, grinning. “Ye ain’t got 
enough room to git lost in, onless ye tumble over the 
rim of the cliff, which I allow ain’t likely, or go back 
into them tunnelings, and even if ye git lost thar I 
reckon ye’d hev no trouble in finding yerself agin.” 

Pete had been greatly attracted by Happy, and had 
told him several times that he never would forget what 
he owed him for finding him in his out-of-the-way 
prison. When the lad left he said : 

“ Thet be a fine kid, Bill. I allow I hev never yet 
met a youngster thet so drew me like to him as this 
one. It’s not only a’cause he set me free, but there be 
something about him I can’t help liking. Whar did 
ye pick him up, and how long hev ye known him? ” 

“ I bean’t surprised ye like Hap so much, Pete,” said 
Bill, greatly pleased. “ I hev known him sence he war 
a little chap I fust met on a ranch in Texas. Then I 
lost sight of him ontil I got the job of guiding a party 
of gentlemen, with two other lads besides Hap, through 
the Colorado Desert.” 

“ Tell me all about him, Bill,” said Pete. “ But fust 
let me know, kin he ride and shoot.” 

21 1 


1 


The Jaws of Death 

“ Kin he ! ” said Bill, grinning. “ Why, Pete, I 
ain’t it with the youngster, and I doubt whether even 
ye be.” 

Now, both riding and shooting were things on which 
Pete especially prided himself. He appeared, how- 
ever, to be greatly pleased with what Bill told him. 

“ Pm glad, Bill, to hear ye say that,” he said. “ Tell 
me about his s hootin’.” 

“ I will,” said Bill, and soon he was reciting to the 
evident delight of his auditor Happy’s strong points 
in this direction. 

He appeared to be especially delighted when Bill 
told him how he tricked Metchiniskoff when that in- 
dividual held him up. 

“ Thet sartinly war very slick,” he remarked with a 
broad grin. 

Before long Happy came back and said to Pete : 

I have been seeing whether I could reach the 
stream below from the front of the cave, but I’ve given 
it up. Probably you can show me where I can do this.” 

“ I kain’t,” said Pete, grinning, “ onless I could larn 
ye how to fly ; fer the cliff comes up suddent like from 
below. I hev tried agin and agin to find thet way 
out of this prison. But I don’t believe it kin be done.” 

“ I reckon we hed better be gallopin’ back to the cliff 
village,” said Bill. “ I be thinkin’ of leavin’ thar early 
to-morrer. Let’s git off now.” 

“ I reckon, Bill,” said Happy, smiling, “ that if we 
wait a half-hour or so longer we won’t find the light 
any stronger in the tunnels than it is now, and since 


212 


The Jaws of Death 

you say you do not expect leaving the cliff village until 
to-morrow, I suppose you won’t object to giving me 
half an hour or so to examine the rooms back of the 
cave.” 

“ Hev yer own way about it, Hap,” said Bill, 
“ though what ye kin wish to examine in them rooms 
is more’n I kin guess.” 

“You don’t care, do you?” inquired Happy, ad- 
dressing Pete. 

“ Ye be welcome to look at everything ye kin find in 
them rooms, but I kin tell ye now ye won’t find much, 
fer I have been over them agin and agin, and I don’t 
believe thar be anything thet I hevn’t seen.” 

Lighting one of the estrana weeds, Happy entered 
the room immediately back of the one occupied by Pete 
as his bedroom. Here, as Pete had assured him, there 
was nothing to be seen except the low opening in the 
wall opposite the front of the cave. Happy, how- 
ever, who was not satisfied, began clearing away a 
pile of loose soil from the wall, on the same side as that 
at which the spring was located. Here he soon un- 
covered another low opening. 

“ Wall, I’ll be dod-rotted ! ” cried Pete. “ I never 
hed the sense to dig under that pile.” 

“ Let me help, Hap,” said Bill, greatly pleased at the 
result. 

When the dirt was removed another low opening 
was revealed. On crawling through this they dis- 
covered a flight of stone steps in fairly good condi- 
tion, leading down to another cliff house situated be- 
213 


The Jaws of Death 

low the one in which Pete had been so long kept a 
prisoner. It was a larger house than the upper one. 
Moreover, a stone trough had been placed so as to 
catch the water that escaped from the spring above. 
A careful examination did not result in their finding 
any communication with the platform in front of the 
house and the canon below. 

Pete made no effort to conceal his surprise at the 
existence of such a place and his having failed to 
discover it. 

Before leaving the upper room, or, as Happy called 
it, “ Pete’s room,” he was careful to fill up the opening 
leading below, so as to make it difficult for one to see 
that it existed. 

“ Ef I didn’t know ye better, Hap, I would ask what 
be ye doin’ thet fer ? But I reckon ye hev some reason 
fer it, and thet’s enough fer Bill.” 

Pete was surprised at the length of the tunneling, 
and of the fact that Happy did not seem to have any 
difficulty in deciding which of the many branches to 
follow. In a short time they had reached the ruins of 
the cliff village. It seemed odd to Happy that Pete 
did not appear to care about examining the ruins of 
the building, that had interested him so much. 

“ I don’t kere much,” he said, “ about sicli things,” 
pointing to the ruins. “ I reckon I’ll come and sit with 
ye, Bill, and help ye at yer job,” for very shortly after 
reaching the ruins Bill had kindled a fire and was pre- 
paring some broiled steak and baking a mixture of 
214 


The Jaws of Death 

flour, meal, and baking soda in some hot lard in a 
pan he had found among other things left by the Mor- 
mons. 

“ Ye kin onderstand, Bill,” said Pete, “ thet naterally 
I be hungry like, fer I heven’t had a squar meal fer 
some time.” 

After supper Bill and Pete had a long conversation, 
Pete being anxious to know Bill’s plans. 

“ I am keen to go with ye, Bill,” said Pete, “ to 
help set the gentleman free I was a-guidin’ when we 
war both took. Then agin,” he said grimly, “ I hanker 
arter makin’ a call on Joe Smith and payin’ him what 
I owe. Ef course ye kin onderstand,” he added, “ thet 
the Mormons and Injuns hev stolen all I hed, so I’m 
down on my luck. Still, ef you’ll take me ez I am, I’ll 
only ask fer guns, a mount, and my keep until I kin 
find payin’ work.” 

“ We’ll call it a bargain, Pete,” said Bill. “ I be sure 
thet ef ye leave it to the gentlemen I be workin’ fer 
they’ll treat ye squar.” 

Before leaving next morning, Bill took Pete to the 
room in which the weapons had been left by the Mor- 
mons and Indians. Here Pete was hugely delighted 
to find among them the revolver and rifle that had 
been taken from him by his captors. 

“ Ef I do say it ez shouldn’t,” he said, “ these be ez 
good guns ez kin be made. They may not be so good 
to look at, but Pete knows their good pints and how 
to shoot with them straight and quick. This,” he said, 
“ be my cartridge belt, but it be nearly empty.” 

215 


The Jaws of Death 

“ See if them shells won’t fit it,” exclaimed Bill, 
showing him where a number of loaded shells had 
been left. 

“ They be all right,” replied Pete, grinning, as he 
loaded his revolver with them. “ I reckon I’ll fill my 
belt with them and take a few pocketfuls besides. Ef 
Joe Smith don’t like it, I’ll be pleased to let him hev a 
few of them back, at least the lead in ’em,” he added 
grimly. 

Nothing occurred to the three as they gained the 
outer air through the fissure, passed down the canon, 
mounted to the other side, and walked toward the 
northwest. 

They stopped at one of the nearest mining towns. 
Here one of the miners, looking earnestly at Bill, ex- 
claimed : 

iC Hello, Bill ! glad to see ye agin. I knowed ye war 
cornin’.” 

“ How did ye know thet? ” inquired Bill. 

“ Yer party hez gone ahead ; but tell me whar hev ye 
been? It ain’t like the Bill I uster know to leave his 
party and not even start fer them agin until they be 
five days ahead. Whar hev ye been ? ” 

“ Been callin’ on a friend across the boundary,” he 
said, pointing to the south. 

“And did ye find yer friend in good health?” 

“ Bully,” said Bill. “ I brung him and another 
friend with me,” pointing to Happy and Pete. 

“ Ye’ll be pleased to know thet yer party hez left yer 
216 


The Jaws of Death 

mounts here for ye, Bill,” said his friend. “ They 
asked me to take keer of ’em till ye turned up.” 

“ Thet’s the best news I’ve heerd fer a long time.” 
exclaimed Bill. “ We be fixed all right now, Hap, ef 
we kin only git a mount fer Pete. As ye know, a fel- 
ler is much hobbled in this country without a mount. 
He kain’t go very fer and he kain’t carry much food. I 
wonder,” said Bill, turning to his friend, “ ef ye kin 
tell me whar I kin find a mount fer Pete ? ” 

“ I hev one I’ll sell ye cheap,” was the remark, “ and 
give ye a hull year to pay me in.” 

“ Them terms be very liberal,” said Bill, grinning; 
“ but thet’s just like ye. Ye alius war very liberal like. 
Wall, we’ll call it a bargain,” continued Bill, “ only I’d 
ruther pay ye half the cash now.” 

“Then,” said the man in true Western style, “ I’ll 
loan thet cash to yer friend. I be flush now, and it’ll 
be more’n likely thet them fellers hev cleaned ye out 
like.” 

Pete at first was unwilling to let a stranger lend him 
money, but when Bill’s friend said : “ It ain’t ez ef I 
war a stranger. It be Bill thet’s loanin’ ye this money,” 
he agreed to take it. 

Laying in a supply of provisions, the three rode in 
the direction indicated by Engleman in a letter he had 
written, explaining in general their movements shortly 
after leaving the cliff village and Bill. 

In due time they reached the first mining town at 
which Engleman and Awake-in-the-Night had left 
copies of the younger Gordon’s letter. They had then 
217 


The Jaws of Death 

passed on to the next town in a different direction 
from that which Happy and his companions had taken. 
They therefore had failed to meet them. 

The letter had been nailed on one of the wooden 
doorposts of a saloon. A number of men were stand- 
ing reading the notice and were evidently excited at 
what they read. 

“ What be thet, Hap?” inquired Bill as they ap- 
proached the doorpost. 

Happy read the letter aloud. When he reached the 
sentence, <<( Iama white man, a mining engineer from 
the East, held in captivity for over a year by a Mor- 
mon named Joseph Smith,’ ” he looked at the signa- 
ture, and then exclaimed in an excited tone to both 
Bill and Pete: 

“ It’s signed by Rob’s father, Bill. The man you 
guided, Pete, when you and he were taken prisoners.” 

“ Wall, I be swan, if this bean’t a go. But read on, 
Hap,” said Bill excitedly. “ I jedge thar be more, 
bean’t there ? ” at which Happy finished reading the 
letter picked up by Rob and Norman in the Bad Lands. 

Seeing that the matter referred to in the posted 
notice was something the newcomers knew about, the 
miners crowded around them and said, addressing 
Pete : 

“ Tell us all you know about this matter, stranger. 
Do you know either of these men? ” It was a college- 
educated man who spoke, a type of man not uncommon 
in the West. “ It is about time that outrages of this 
kind were stopped. Perhaps,” he inquired of Bill, 
218 


The Jaws of Death 

“you can tell us something about the cowboy, Pete, 
who it is also said in this letter had been captured and 
held a prisoner by the same parties. We can’t be far 
from the place. If you can point it out to us we will 
go at once and try to liberate the man.” 

“ I be very much obliged to ye,” said Pete, “ fer 
yer kind plans ; but these gentlemen,” he said, pointing 
to his friends, “ hev been thar afore ye. I be the Pete 
wot is referred to, and I be now on the way to find thet 
feller Joe Smith to pay him a little of what I owes 
him.” 

Pete’s intention evidently struck a sympathetic chord 
with the men around him, and murmurings were heard 
declaring that when the time came they would only be 
too well pleased to join Pete in his social call on the 
Mormons. 

“ I imagine,” said the gentleman who had before 
been speaking, turning to Happy, “ your name is 
Ralph Earle Clinton.” 

“ It is,” said Happy, smiling. 

“ Then there is a letter for you, which was left by 
the white man who nailed this notice here.” 

“ But were there no other white people with the 
gentleman?” inquired Happy anxiously. 

“No,” was the reply; “his only other companion 
was an Indian he called Awake-in-the-Night. I think, 
however,” he said, observing Happy’s anxiety, “you 
will find the information you wish in the letter.” 

Happy opened the letter and, after reading it hur- 
riedly, said to the gentleman : 

219 


The Jaws of Death 

“ You need not go. There is nothing private here. 
Td like you to hear all the letter contains.” 

He then read to Bill and to the others the statement 
of what had happened; of the conclusion the two de- 
tectives had reached of leaving Engleman, Christian, 
and the rest of the party, and going on to the mining 
towns explaining all that they knew. 

“ A sensible conclusion,” said the gentleman. 
“ These men have evidently taken a different direction, 
or else they would have reached this place long ago. 
However,” he added, “ it makes but little difference. 
The information contained in the letter picked up 
in the Bad Lands is far more complete, and will help 
no little in insuring the liberation of the captives.” 

Before leaving, Bill and his party agreed to send 
the men word as soon as matters had reached a con- 
dition in which their aid would be required. 

It was the second day after Petromelinski and Blank 
had left the younger Gordon. They had gone directly 
to the principal mining town to the northwest of 
Smith’s property, and had, therefore, failed to meet 
Engleman. Having given to the younger Gordon the 
necessary information, and having impressed on his 
mind the importance of seeing that his father re- 
mained in the neighborhood, promising to do all they 
could toward making it to Smith’s interest to have both 
men so remain, Petromelinski, turning to Smith, said : 

“We have practically determined to purchase the 
property. There is only one thing more we wish done. 

220 


The Jaws of Death 

We believe that the vein extends farther to the north, 
at least sufficiently far to warrant another claim being 
made. If you will permit your two engineers to make 
a report on this extra claim, we will take it out in our 
names, of course recompensing you and the engineers 
for services. If you are willing to do this, and will 
have your engineers in the neighborhood, so that if 
necessary we can obtain additional information from 
them, I think you can regard the sale of the property 
as assured, and we will return in two days to complete 
the transaction.” 

Smith agreed to the terms, so the two supposed 
purchasers hurried off to the mining town in order, as 
they said, to attend to other important business. 

They had no difficulty in obtaining from the miners 
a promise to be in the neighborhood of the claims 
twenty-four hours after Petromelinski and Blank left 
to meet Smith and the Gordons. 

The plan was that Gordon should pretend to show 
his father some peculiarity in the country a mile to the 
north of the additional claim, and to remain there with 
him until the approach of the party of miners. 

The two detectives had met Joseph Smith and the 
younger Gordon on the claims. Petromelinski had suc- 
ceeded in having a short private conversation with the 
son, from whom he learned that his father was in 
the neighborhood. Everything was going on satis- 
factorily when, to the great surprise of the detectives, 
the Russian, Mashinsky, suddenly was seen running to- 
ward Smith, crying: 


221 


The Jaws of Death 

“ Look out for those fellows ! They are not capital- 
ists but detectives, one from Russia and the other from 
the East. The real capitalists are here, and are not 
pleased to hear that other parties have almost arranged 
for the purchase of the property.” 

Seeing they had been discovered, Petromelinski and 
Blank succeeded in making their escape. Smith swore 
a great oath at having been so completely fooled, and 
drawing his revolver sent balls dangerously near the 
fleeing men. Turning to the true capitalists, who had 
now come up to him, Smith endeavored to smooth 
matters over. But he was too late. While passing 
through the mining towns these men had heard of 
Smith’s conduct, and indignantly refused to have any- 
thing to do with either him or his mining claims. 

The detectives in escaping ran in the direction in 
which the miners were advancing. Soon joining them 
they turned in pursuit of Smith and his fleeing men. 

When Smith saw that matters were against him, and 
being informed by his Indian scouts that a posse of 
men greatly exceeding his in numbers was rapidly ad- 
vancing from the mining town, he, turning to one of 
the Mormons, said : 

“ Our game is all up here, my men. We must look 
out for ourselves. These fellows from the mining camp 
mean business,” so taking the two Gordons with them 
they moved rapidly toward the southeast, it having 
been determined to seek a refuge in the great Colorado 
Desert. 

We have at least a good start on them,” continued 
222 


The Jaws of Death 

Smith, “ and knowing the country so much better than 
they should have no trouble in eluding them.” 

When Blank, Petromelinski, and his mining friends 
reached the claims they did not hesitate to pursue the 
fleeing men, but after following them for a day, and 
finding they were losing ground, the miners returned 
to their work, with the exception of ten of the more 
determined men, who agreed to continue the pursuit 
with Blank’s party. 

It was fully four days afterward when Awake-in- 
the-Night and Engleman, followed by another band of 
miners from a mining town to the southeast, reached 
the Smith claims. Here Engleman was handed a letter 
from Christian advising him of what had occurred, 
and that Petromelinski and Blank had again joined 
him, and that they were all pursuing Smith and his 
band, in company with ten recruits picked up in the 
mining camps. He stated that he believed Smith was 
again endeavoring to reach the Colorado Desert, and 
hoped Engleman and his party would join them. 

Engleman was puzzled. He was uncertain what 
was the best thing to do. Fortunately, it was about 
this time that Colorado Bill, Happy, and Pete ap- 
proached. After mutual rejoicings at meeting again, 
they at once began to exchange information concern- 
ing the many important events that had happened 
since they were last together. 

“ Smith and his party are four days in advance of 
223 


The Jaws of Death 

us,” exclaimed Engleman. “ I doubt whether we can 
catch them. Awake-in-the-Night,” he said, turning 
to the Indian, “ can you help us? ” 

“ Awake-in-the-Night heap friend of white men. 
If white men not afraid to go with Indian through the 
Jaws of Death, he thinks perhaps he may be able to 
reach the desert as soon as the other men.” 

“ What do you mean,” inquired Engleman, “ by the 
Jaws of Death ? ” 

“ He means,” said one of the mining men, “ he’ll 
show ye the way through the Colorado Canon ef ye will 
resk goin’ with him. He calls it the Jaws of Death, and 
I'll be hanged ef he bean’t right. It is a risky road.” 

“ As far as I am concerned,” said Engleman, “ I am 
willing to take the risk, but I would not ask you,” 
turning to Bill, “ nor you, Happy, to go with me.” 

“ Of course I’ll go with you, professor,” said Happy. 

“ I be only too glad to go with ye,” said Colorado 
Bill. 

“ And so will I,” exclaimed Pete, who was now in- 
troduced to Engleman as the cowboy who had been 
captured along with the younger Gordon, “ ef ye will 
only let me. Take me along, I won’t ask no wages. I 
only want to get a chance to set the gentleman free I 
left there, ez well ez to say a word or two to thet man 
Smith.” 

“Have you any boats, Awake-in-the-Night?” in- 
quired one of the men. 

“ Awake-in-the-Night no boats,” was the reply. 
“ Perhaps,” he said, “ you lend me your two boats.” 

224 


The Jaws of Death 

The man spoken to then explained to Engleman that 
he had built two boats especially for the purpose of 
running the rapids, and that if they would take him 
along he would willingly lend them and run the risk 
of their being ruined. 

“ I am anxious,” he said, “ to take this journey, and 
have long been waiting for a guide and companion. I 
believe there is no man in the territory who knows 
these canons so well as Awake-in-the-Night.” 

“ It is agreed, then,” said Engleman. “ As soon as 
we can purchase the proper provisions and equipment 
for the boats, we shall start. There will be three in 
each boat. The lad, Awake-in-the-Night, and I will go 
in one, and Colorado Bill, Pete, and the owner of the 
boats in the other,” he said. 

As we shall see, they had ample reason, from actual 
experience, as to fitness of the awful name Awake-in- 
the-Night had given to the route; i. e ., the Jaws of 
Death. 


p 


225 


CHAPTER XVIII 


The Jaws of Death 

The Jaws of Death through which A wake-in-the-Night 
had offered to take Professor Engleman, Happy, Colo- 
rado Bill, Pete, and the owner of the boats were the 
canons of the Colorado River. We have already 
spoken of this river, but to be able to understand in- 
telligently the wonderful adventures of our friends, 
a somewhat fuller description must be given both of 
the general character of the Colorado River, as well 
as of the country through which it flows. 

The author is aware of the fact that too many of his 
young readers may feel disposed to skip this chapter. 
They are apt to reason, though incorrectly, that because 
a subject is instructive it is therefore dry and unin- 
teresting. But the author hopes they will take the 
trouble to read it carefully. If they do, the knowledge 
thus acquired will enable them the better to enjoy the 
thrilling chapters that follow. Much of the informa- 
tion contained in it has been taken from the authorita- 
tive statements of Prof, or Major J. W. Powell, as 
contained in a report, in the year 1874, made to the 
secretary of the Smithsonian Institution, Washington, 
D. C. 

It is surprising how little accurate popular knowl- 
edge exists concerning the Colorado River system. In 
226 


The Jaws of Death 

the first place it may astonish some of my readers when 
I tell them that it is one of the great river systems of 
North America. 

The Colorado River is formed by the union in south- 
eastern Utah of the Grand and the Green Rivers. The 
Grand River, the eastern branch, rises in the State of 
Colorado, a few miles to the west of Long’s Peak of 
the Rocky Mountain system. The headwaters of this 
river are derived from a number of small alpine lakes, 
fed by the melting of the perpetual snows that cover the 
high mountain slopes. These lakes discharge into a 
body of water known as Grand Lake, the clear waters 
of which are bordered on the east by high granite 
cliffs, and on the west by magnificent forests of pines 
and firs. 

The Green River, the western branch of the Colo- 
rado, has its headwaters in the Wind River Mountains 
of the Cascade Range in Wyoming, in latitude 43 0 15' 
N. As in the case of the Grand, the Green River has 
its headwaters in a series of alpine lakes fed by the per- 
ennial snows of the higher mountain ranges. 

The clear, beautiful waters, thus born of melting 
snow, pour into the common channel of the Colorado, 
and flow toward the Gulf of California, through that 
wonderful labyrinth which is about to be traversed by 
the party above mentioned. 

The total length of the Colorado River, from the 
headwaters of the Green River, is two thousand 
miles. Roughly speaking, the river basin, or the coun- 
try drained by the river and its tributaries, has an area 
227 


The Jaws of Death 

of about three hundred thousand square miles, a terri- 
tory larger than New England and the Middle States, 
together with Maryland and Virginia. For those who 
live farther to the west, I may say that this area is 
greater than that of the combined States of Wisconsin, 
Minnesota, Iowa, Illinois, and Missouri. 

What gives peculiar interest to the Colorado River 
system is that although the volume of water it dis- 
charges is great, yet most of the country through which 
it flows is practically a desert, where the rainfall is 
comparatively limited. This is due to the fact that 
the larger part of its waters are derived from the melt- 
ing of the snow on the higher mountains in the neigh- 
borhood of the headwaters of the Green and the Grand. 
It is also because the river flows through deep canons 
where the water is, to a great extent, protected from 
rapid evaporation by the high rocky walls on both 
sides of its channel. 

The Colorado basin may be divided into two parts — 
the upper and the lower basins. The lower basin, com- 
prising about one-third of the whole, is but little ele- 
vated above the surface of the sea. It is terminated on 
the north by a line of cliffs which rise abruptly, in 
some cases thousands of feet to the high plateau or 
tableland above. 

The upper basin, comprising the remaining two- 
thirds, rises to the height of from four thousand to 
eight thousand feet above the sea level. The high 
country on the east, north, and west is crossed by 
mountain ranges, the summits of which have heights 
228 


The Jaws of Death 

varying from eight thousand to fourteen thousand feet 
above the sea. 

The snow covers the mountain slopes during the 
winter, but as Powell beautifully says, “ When the 
summer sun comes the snow melts and tumbles down 
the mountainsides in millions of cascades. Then a mil- 
lion cascade brooks unite to form ten thousand tor- 
rent creeks; ten thousand torrent creeks unite to form 
a hundred rivers, beset with cataracts ; a hundred roar- 
ing rivers unite to form the Colorado, which rolls, a 
mad, turbid stream, into the Gulf of California.” 

As some of my readers may know, there are people 
whose actions are so unpleasant that they make every- 
thing unpleasant around them. When they appear, 
if only for a moment, everything goes wrong. Indeed, 
I would not be surprised if the old belief in the “ Evil 
Eye ” were based on this fact. At one time it was be- 
lieved that it was only necessary for such a person 
to cast his eye on another person or thing to cause 
trouble. Whether this was so or not, it is certain that 
the Colorado River might properly be regarded as pos- 
sessing the Evil Eye. 

I hope that those of my readers who have followed 
me this far will ask the question, “ What is there about 
the Colorado River that makes it differ so greatly 
from other rivers ? It contains the same kind of water 
that is found in other rivers. It drains the country 
from the sources of the river to its mouth. Why then 
does it act so differently? ” 

229 


The Jaws of Death 

I might say that the disagreeable people above re- 
ferred to also resemble other people in many things. 
It is not difficult, however, to discover why it is that 
they are so disagreeable, and so in the same way it is 
not at all difficult to explain what it is that permits the 
Colorado River to produce effects so different from 
other rivers. 

There is this difference between the basin of the 
Colorado and the basins of most other rivers. In most 
cases, when rain falls the water runs slowly off the 
surface toward the lower parts, when it discharges 
into another river or into the ocean. During this flow 
it wears away, or erodes, portions of the surface, 
carrying the mineral matter with it into the river 
channel. As it is carried along by the current, these 
particles of matter, especially the harder ones, such 
as flint or quartz, acting as saws, planes, gouges, or 
chisels, deeply cut out or groove the river channel. In 
this manner, especially when aided by what is known 
as “ weathering,” or the gradual breaking up of the 
surface strata by the differences of temperature be- 
tween the cooler and the warmer parts of the year or 
day, both the surface of the basin and the channel of 
the river are cut down or eroded. 

Two conditions result from this combined action 
of weathering and erosion. The soil, or mineral matter, 
is removed from the entire surface of the river val- 
ley, so that banks of the river are not as a rule much 
higher than the level of the water in the channel. 

These actions are extremely slow, probably requir- 
230 


The Jaws of Death 

ing hundreds of thousands of years for their com- 
pletion. 

Now, in the case of the Colorado River, the rainfall 
over the greater part of the basin is so small that most 
of the water is received on the mountain slopes of the 
upper tributaries. Consequently, the erosion is almost 
limited to the river channel. The river differs from most 
others in that the lands on each side of the channel, 
instead of having been cut away to comparatively near 
the level of the water in the river, are often thousands 
of feet above it. Instead of sloping gradually toward 
the river channel, they consist in some cases of almost 
perpendicular walls, with the river flowing at a dis- 
tance of more than a mile below the general surface, 
through deep gorges called canons (canyons). 

The Colorado River then is a river with an Evil 
Eye, because it differs markedly from other rivers in 
many respects. To begin with, this river is a curse 
rather than a blessing to the country through which it 
flows. Instead of bringing fertility to its basin by per- 
mitting the rain water to trickle gently and slowly 
into its channel, it almost immediately absorbs the 
scant rainfall, discharging it precipitously into its deep 
channels, where it flows through a confused labyrinth 
to the sea. 

I have heard the Colorado River compared to that 
fabulous folklore creature, the vampire, an animal that 
instead of producing its own blood from good, clean 
food, lives only by sucking the blood of living animals ; 

231 


The Jaws of Death 

an animal whose existence is only made possible by 
the suffering and death of other animals. I must con- 
fess that there are peculiarities of the Colorado River 
that amply warrant this comparison, for it certainly 
does suck the scant water supply, the life-blood of the 
country, through which it flows. 

Then again, unlike most large river systems, the 
Colorado is useless for transportation purposes. While 
it might be used for the carrying of timber from the 
north to the south, yet even supposing that there was 
sufficient timber safely to be cut without despoiling the 
country, the channels of the river are too tortuous 
to permit the stream to be employed for this purpose. 

I am not referring to the lower course, which is 
navigable for a limited distance above its mouth. 

The Colorado River flows through canons for a dis- 
tance of more than one thousand miles. This great 
length of canon can be divided into separate canons by 
the gorges formed where comparatively large side 
streams or tributaries discharge into it. It may be 
interesting to know some of the more important of 
these divisions. Since, however, our friends only in- 
tend to make the descent from below the point where 
the Green and the Grand discharge their waters into 
the Colorado, we will only give the names of the more 
important divisions between this junction and the 
lower land near the mouth of the Gulf of California. 

Beginning where the river is formed by the junc- 
tion of the Green and the Grand, and proceeding to- 
ward the mouth, we have the following divisions: 

232 


The Jaws of Death 

Cataract, Narrow, Glen, and Marble Canons; the 
Grand Canon of the Colorado ; Virgin, Border, Black, 
Painted, Pyramid, Mojave, and Monument Canons; 
while the dividing streams themselves are the Virgin, 
Kanab, Paria, Escalante, Dirty Devil, San Rafael, 
Price, and the Uinta on the west, and the Grand, the 
Yampa, the San Juan, and the Colorado Chiquiti on 
the east. (See Appendix D, “ Grand Canon.”) 

It is a mistaken idea that when a boat once enters the 
canons of the Colorado it passes for the entire distance 
between almost perpendicular walls, the water filling 
the entire intervening space. The labyrinthine road 
we have named the “ Jaws of Death ” is dangerous 
enough as it is. Were all the walls vertical the death 
jaws would be so voracious that none could hope to 
safely pass them. Fortunately, it is only here and there 
that the walls are vertical or perpendicular. In most 
cases there are fairly long reaches, where sloping sides 
that come down to the stream are cut off by a succes- 
sion of vertical cliffs and sloping sides from the level 
ground far above. 

Another erroneous idea concerning the Colorado is 
that it has never been navigated. It is true that but 
few have succeeded in passing all the way from its 
headwaters to its mouth. Indeed, this was never done 
until in 1874, when it was accomplished by Major 
Powell. Coronado, a Spaniard, as well as several 
others, succeeded in taking a boat for some distance 
up the river, while Major Dutton and a few others 
2 33 


The Jaws of Death 

have succeeded in passing for considerable distances 
from north to south. 

It is unnecessary now to explain in detail any other 
peculiarities of this wonderful region, since to some 
extent we shall do this in reciting the dangerous ex- 
periences our friends had in the trip that they under- 
took under the guidance of Awake-in-the-Night. 

It may be advisable, however, before closing this 
chapter to state briefly that while the canons of the 
Colorado are due to the gradual erosion of the river 
channel by the mineral matter which the stream car- 
ries down to its mouth, the extent and peculiarity of 
this action require other conditions. These briefly 
are : 

1. That the river shall flow through a region re- 
ceiving but a limited rainfall. 

2. That the strata forming the basin of the region, 
and, therefore, over which the river flows, shall con- 
sist of approximately parallel layers. Where these 
layers are formed of a continuous hard rock like gran- 
ite the walls of the canon are nearly perpendicular; 
where they consist of alternate hard and soft layers 
they are broken up into series of almost vertical cliffs 
separated by sloping banks. In the first case the dis- 
tance from one rim or side cut of the canon to the 
opposite rim is very small. In the other case it may 
reach an extent of many miles. 

3. That while the erosion has been taking place a 
gradual elevation of the land is going on that is more 
rapid in the north than in the south. 

234 


CHAPTER XIX 


The Start. Cataract Canon 

“ Come and examine the boats, Professor Engleman,” 
said Mr. Brown. “ You can then see what room has 
been left for the food and other things we will need 
during our journey.” 

“ Where are the boats ? ” inquired Engleman. 

“ About a mile or so below the junction of the Green 
and the Grand Rivers,” was the reply. 

The examination showed that the boats had been 
built of strong oak timber, with double ribs, stems, and 
sternposts. They had, moreover, been strengthened 
by two bulkheads that divided each boat into three 
compartments. Two of these compartments, the fore 
and the aft, were covered by decks, so built that when 
closed they formed watertight compartments, thus 
ensuring increased buoyancy and preventing them 
from sinking when shipping water in rough places. 

My readers may object that our friend had two boats 
only, and that in the figure a greater number of boats 
are represented. This is because the picture was taken 
for a publication describing the last voyage by Powell 
in 1874, during his journey down the river. 

Each of Mr. Brown’s boats was eighteen feet in 
length, and could when unloaded be readily carried 
over portages by three people. 

235 



The Jaws of Death 

“ I had my boats built after those first taken through 
the canons, in 1874, by Major Powell,” said Mr. 
Brown. 

“ Unless you object to telling me,” said Engleman, 
“ I should like to know why you had these boats built, 


The Start from Green River Station 

and why you are willing to take the risks of going 
through the canons ? ” 

“ I have no objections to answering your question, 
professor,” replied Mr. Brown, smiling. “ I have 
236 


The Jaws of Death 

been successful in life; am well to clo, and have no one 
to come after me. Of late I have become interested in 
geology, and have spent much of my time in studying 
the peculiarities of the canons formed by some of the 
smaller tributaries of the Colorado. I have long 
wished to explore the great canon of the main stream* 
from the junction of the Grand and the Green Rivers 
to near its mouth. It was for this purpose that I had the 
boats built. I have owned them for more than a year, 
but I have been unable to find any one willing to risk 
the journey with me. When I heard Awake-in-the- 
Night offer to pilot your party through what he 
called the Jaws of Death, I was not only willing to 
risk my boats but also my life for the opportunity of 
going with you. In the first place, I believe that 
Awake-in-the-Night knows these canons better than 
any other man in the country. In the next place,” he 
said, “ I know you by reputation, professor, and am 
only too glad to have the opportunity of taking this 
journey with you.” 

“ I do not understand, Mr. Brown,” said the pro- 
fessor, “ how Awake-in-the-Night is so familiar with 
the canons. I was under the impression that his peo- 
ple were generally unwilling to enter these gloomy 
places.” 

“ It is true,” replied Brown, “ that generally speak- 
ing the Indians are unwilling to enter any of the great 
canons. As Powell says, they have woven the myths 
of their religion into the mysteries of the canons. 
There is a myth among them that a long while ago a 

23 7 


The Jaws of Death 

great and wise chief had mourned the death of his 
wife, refusing to be comforted until one of their In- 
dian gods, Ta-vwoats, appeared in a dream assuring 
him that she was in a happier land, and offering, pro- 
vided the Indian would cease mourning, to take him 
to the happier land for a while that he might see for 
himself. On promising to do this, Ta-vwoats took the 
chief by a trail through the mountains that shut out 
the country from the great land of the hereafter. 

“ The trail through the mountains was the deep 
gorge now partly occupied by the Colorado River. Ta- 
vwoats showed the chief a land of great beauty, per- 
mitted him to see the happy condition of his wife, 
and then led him safely back through the gorge. Al- 
though the chief promised to tell none of his tribe of 
the wonderful joys of the land he had seen, yet in order 
to prevent the earth people from growing tired of their 
earth homes and desiring to reach heaven before the 
gods wished them to go, he rolled into the gorge a 
mad raging stream that would engulf any who dared 
to reach the Land of the Hereafter by this route. It is 
for this reason that the Indians regard any attempt to 
find a passage through these great canons as a disobe- 
dience to their gods, believing that such an attempt to 
do this would be punished by death.” 

“ How is it, then,” inquired Engleman, “ that this 
Indian has become so well acquainted with these 
canons ? ” 

“ I have often asked myself the same question,” was 
the reply, “ but have never been able to answer it satis- 
238 


The Jaws of Death 

factorily. The fellow is frequently seen at different 
places in the canons of the San Juan and the Mancos 
Rivers. He appears to be especially interested in some 
of the side canons. I think he knows various trails 
in the district in which I am disposed to believe Joe 
Smith and his band of Mormons have either already 
discovered, or hope to discover, valuable mineral de- 
posits on the sides of the canons where the strata have 
been exposed by the deep cuttings.” 

“ Does Awake-in-the-Night know how to manage 
a boat ? ” inquired Engleman. 

“ These boats were built where there is quite a 
stretch of nearly level water, near the mouth of the San 
Juan,” was the reply. “ Awake-in-the-Night has been 
with me in one of the boats a number of times. He 
can row, steer, and manage a boat far better than I.” 

Each of the boats was provided with two pairs of 
oars and a rudder, as well as with long coils of rope at 
the stern. 

Happy, Bill, and Pete had noticed these coils while 
the boats were being loaded with provisions. Bill 
and Pete knew nothing whatever about boats. The 
coils of rope, however, had a familiar look about them. 
They looked not unlike the long ropes or lassoes, the 
use of which they were so familiar with on the land. 
But it was this resemblance that especially puzzled 
them. Pointing to one of the coils, Bill said to Pete : 

“ Looks sorter like a rope, Pete, don’t it ? But I 
kain’t see what they kin catch with it. Thar sartinly 
239 


The Jaws of Death 

be no mounts or cattle wandering loose on the sides of 
the stream we’re goin’ on. What do ye make of it? ” 

“ I bean’t guessin’,” said Pete with a smile. “ I 
reckon, however, we’ll find out.” 

“ Kin ye make out what these things be fer, Hap? ” 
inquired Bill, turning to the lad. 

“ I’m sure I don’t know,” was the reply. “ Per- 
haps they are used to let the boats down slowly in 
the rapids. However,” he added, “ I’m sure of this, 
Bill, that both Pete and you can pull on one end of the 
line when the other is once caught on something, and 
you can make it catch on too if it is necessary to throw 
it.” 

“ I reckon we kin,” replied each man, grinning. 

The long start the fugitives had, made it advisable 
to leave as soon as possible. Preparations were made 
at once for laying in the provisions and other things 
that might be needed during their journey. Since 
there were no places along the route where they could 
expect to obtain additional supplies, it was necessary to 
take with them a sufficient amount and variety to 
meet all their needs. At the same time they should 
not be of too great weight, since at all the portages 
both the boats and their stores had to be carried. 

Their stores consisted among other things of flour, 
beans, potatoes, rice, coffee, sugar, and canned goods. 
They also took an ample amount of ammunition for 
their weapons. 

Some of the other stores surprised Happy. These 
240 


The Jaws of Death 

were various sized pieces of lumber, together with such 
tools as hammers, axes, saws, and augers, also a sup- 
ply of nails and screws. 

“ What do you expect to do with these things, Mr. 
Brown ? ” he inquired. 

“ I am sure, my lad, a little thought would have 
enabled you to answer that yourself. Our boats may 
at any time be injured by being thrown against the 
walls of the stream, or may be staved in by striking 
against rocks in shallow water. You can imagine what 
it would mean had we no means of repairing them.” 

“ Thank you,” said Happy, “ I understand now.” 

At last everything was ready, and the boats pushed 
off from their landing-place. They were cheered by 
some of the mining men who had come down to see 
them off. The boat occupied by Awake-in-the-Night, 
Engleman, and Happy led, being followed by the other 
containing Brown, Colorado Bill, and Pete. 

The portion of the canon where their journey began, 
as already mentioned, was a few miles below the junc- 
tion of the Grand and the Green Rivers. This portion 
was named Cataract Canon by Powell, because of the 
numerous cataracts it contained in a comparatively 
short space; for where they had entered the canon the 
inclination of the bed was very great. When they first 
started, Mr. Brown said to them : 

.“We shall probably find the first and last portions 
of our journey the most dangerous. There are rapids 
in this place that will make it necessary to let the boats 
down with the ropes to prevent their being broken 
Q 241 


The Jaws of Death 

on the rocks. There are also many waterfalls that re- 
quire frequent portages. When this portion of the 
route is passed, however, we may expect to reach long 
stretches where the water is deep, and the stream 
broad, where our progress will be rapid.” 

“ And where is the other especially dangerous por- 
tion? ” inquired the professor. 

“ In the Grand Canon, where the river flows through 
the granite with almost perpendicular walls on both 
sides of the stream.” 

As predicted, their progress at first was both slow 
and fatiguing. Frequent portages required the un- 
loading of the boats and carrying them past some dan- 
gerous waterfalls. This was fatiguing, as was also the 
letting of the boats down the rapids, where numerous 
rocks projected here and there above the water, and 
the current was too rapid to allow boats to glide freely 
down. In such places one end of the long rope was 
fixed to a stout ring in the bow and the boat let slowly 
down the current by two of the crew holding the other 
end of the rope, one remaining in the boat to keep it 
off the rocks. It was hard work, but when done in- 
telligently saved the boats from being wrecked. 

Where the channel was comparatively free from 
rocks they would simply shoot the rapids, that is, allow 
the boats to be carried freely down by the current. On 
several such occasions it looked as if the boat would be 
wrecked against projecting rocks, but a dexterous use 
of the rudder, or of an oar used as a rudder, carried 
them safely over. 


242 


The Jaws of Death 

The delay troubled Awake-in-the-Night, for, occa- 
sionally turning to Professor Engleman, he would say : 

“ Go heap slow now. After a while go faster.” 

On one of these occasions the boat containing Bill, 
Pete, and Mr. Brown was upset, and its occupants were 
thrown into the torrent. Bill and Mr. Brown held on 
to the sides of the boat, but Pete for a moment com- 
pletely disappeared. Fortunately, Happy succeeded in 
throwing him the end of one of the coils, when he was 
hauled into their boat. 

“ Thet be the second time ye’ve helped me, kid,” 
said Pete. “ The fust chance I git I’ll see ef I kain’t 
do something fer ye.” 

The overturned boat was taken into the first shallow 
water and righted. Fortunately, no damage had been 
done, and since the provisions had been stored with the 
ammunition in the watertight compartments, they 
were not wet. It is true that the longer pieces of lumber 
that had been left outside had floated down the stream, 
but they were all afterward recovered. 

As it was now late in the afternoon they concluded 
to camp for the night at a piece of shallow water below 
the rapids where the stream had widened. Here they 
found an abundance of drift timber, so that a large 
camp-fire was soon burning and an opporunity af- 
forded for drying their wet clothes. 

During their passage through Cataract Canon, as 
well as elsewhere, they found many places where the 
river flowed between nearly perpendicular walls. Gen- 
erally speaking, however, in such places the water was 
243 


The Jaws of Death 

so deep that it was only necessary by the use of the 
rudder or oars to prevent its being thrown against the 
walls. In other places, however, the river was broad, 
so they seldom had any difficulty in finding places on 
one side of the stream suitable for camping. 

An aneroid barometer Engleman carried was em- 
ployed in determining the amount of descent. 

There was much to be seen during their journey both 
through Cataract Canon and elsewhere. To a man 
like Engleman, thoroughly versed in geology, there 
were unusual opportunities for observation while in 
the boat, as well as afterward at the camp-fire when 
he would refer to some of the more interesting things 
he had seen. In this way Happy had advantages in the 
study of the weathering of rocks and cuttings, or ero- 
sions due to running water, and in general geology that 
he did not fail to make the most of. 

As we know, Happy was not only a close observer 
but remembered afterward all he had seen. Before 
long he discovered that it was possible, from the kind 
of rocks they were approaching, to make a fairly good 
guess of the character of the canon. One day a change 
had occurred in the rocks on either side of the stream. 
They were entering a region of soft shales and sand- 
stones. Happy, therefore, remarked : 

“ Now we shall not find the walls of the canon so 
high, nor the distance between the upper portions of 
the walls so small.” 

“ Why do you say that ? ” inquired the professor, 
pleased with the correctness of the generalization. 

244 


The Jaws of Death 


“ Because,” was the 
reply, “ the softer rocks 
are sure to break down. 
At least, sir,” he said, 
“ I noticed that was 
the case in all the soft 
strata through which 
we have passed so far.” 

“ Quite correct, 
Happy,” replied the 
professor. “ Erosion 
in soft strata is almost 
always attended by the 
conditions you have 
observed. Moreover, 
since in such strata the 
water is apt to cut a 
wider and more nearly 
level channel the river 
runs quietly. When it 
passes through hard 
rocks, such as granites, 
it cuts vertical walls on 
either side that remain 
standing, since such 
walls are not readily 
thrown down by 
weathering. 

“Then too,” he 
added, “ you may have 



A Side Canon with Walls Two Thousand 
Feet in Height 


The Jaws of Death 

noticed that the river also flows quietly through hori- 
zontal strata. When the strata are inclined in the 
direction of the current there are also few rapids 
and waterfalls, but where they are inclined upstream, 
and the river cuts obliquely across them, there are 
many waterfalls and rapids. ” 

Where side streams emptied into the main river 
channel the openings were most marked, at least where 
these side streams had cut their way through nearly 
parallel strata that were alternately hard and soft. Here 
the tributary streams had cut their way back, forming 
vast amphitheaters on the side at which they entered. 

“ You will notice,” said the professor to Happy as 
the boats were making their way past one of these 
tributaries, “ that we can look here for shallow water 
and boulders ; for the side streams fill the main channel 
with the broken rocks and mineral matters they bring 
down from their upper sources.” 

Where the side streams flowed through hard rocks, 
like granites, the width of the canons they cut was very 
small. In some cases the walls were so nearly vertical 
from the top to the bottom and were so close together 
that it was difficult to see the sky above. Sometimes it 
looked as if the cutting had been due entirely to 
erosion, but that the work had been aided by the pres- 
ence of fissures or crevices that had merely been cut 
wider by the stream. 

Remembering that fissures were common in the part 
of the country through which they had passed, Happy 
remarked : 


246 


The Jaws of Death 

“ I suppose, professor, that where crevices or fissures 
exist the water running through them deepens them 
and thus forms gorges.” 

“ One might think so,” was the reply, “ but I never 
remember having seen or read of such. The most care- 
ful examination shows no traces of clefts or fractures 
extending in the direction of the canon.” 

In some of the wider canons, especially those formed 
near the junction of side streams, there were features 
that greatly interested all. Frequently, after the camp 
had been located and Bill and Pete and Awake-in-the- 
Night were preparing supper, Engleman, Brown, and 
Happy would climb the river’s bank to obtain a better 
view of the country. Here they occasionally found 
beautiful miniature lakes, the clear waters of which 
gave admirable opportunity for a bath, a thing that so 
far as he was concerned, Happy seldom failed to in- 
dulge in. 


247 


CHAPTER XX 


The Camp-fire. Talks About the Mormons 

Without attempting to describe the details of their 
voyage, it may be said that our party successively 
passed through Cataract and Narrow Canons. As they 
afterward learned the former was forty-one miles and 
the latter nine and a half miles in length. Thus far 
their progress had been far from rapid, but Awake-in- 
the-Night assured them, that as soon as they passed 
the mouth of the next large tributary on the left, 
they would reach the canon known as Glen Canon, 
where they would be able to make a far more rapid 
progress. 

“ I have heard of Glen Canon,” said Mr. Brown. “ I 
believe it has a length of nearly one hundred and fifty 
miles.” 

Since they were in pursuit of Smith and his party, 
they were obliged to make their stops as short as pos- 
sible. Safety, however, demanded that they camp for 
the night as soon as the light grew so dim as to make 
travel dangerous. 

To travelers in boats far below the land level, the 
setting of the sun comes much earlier than it does to 
those above. This is especially so in smaller canons, 
where the walls shut off all the sky except such nar- 
row expanse as is immediately overhead. It is different 
248 


The Jaws of Death 

in the wider canons, but even there the light wanes far 
sooner than on the general surface. 

They made but few examinations of the side canons. 
When, however, it was possible to camp at such a 
canon they did so, since here they were more apt to 
obtain a comfortable site as well as an abundance of 
drift timber for the camp-fire. 

Colorado Bill and Pete attended to the cooking. As 
soon as the camp site had been selected and the fire 
built they began preparations for supper, aided by 
Awake-in-the-Night after he had seen that the boats 
were safely moored and made ready for the morning. 
On these occasions, whenever they could do so, the pro- 
fessor, Mr. Brown, and Happy, while waiting for 
supper, walked, as far as the time permitted, up the 
gently sloping walls of the amphitheater, common to 
many of the side canons, or made some brief examina- 
tion of the narrower canons. These excursions were 
greatly enjoyed by both men, but especially so by the 
lad. 

In the case of some of the wider amphitheaters of 
the side canons, before discharging into the main 
stream, the waters of the tributary streams had col- 
lected in small lakes, and they had succeeded in catch- 
ing a number of good-sized brook trout both in these 
lakes as well as in the small streams that fed them. 
It hardly need be said that when they brought back to 
camp a good string of trout they were warmly wel- 
comed, for this addition to their food was very ac- 
ceptable. 


249 


The Jaws of Death 

On several occasions they had tried to fish in the 
main stream. Generally, however, these waters were 
so dirty with red mud, a color, by the way, that gave 
to the stream the name of the Colorado, or the Red 
River, that fish were seldom if ever caught. Naturally, 
whenever the site of their camp appeared to be at all 
favorable for fishing, Mr. Brown, Professor Engle- 
man, and Happy took their fishing-lines with them 
and looked for promising side streams. One day 
when it was nearly time for striking camp their 
boats were near together. Seeing they were ap- 
proaching a side canon, Happy called to the next boat 
and inquired: 

“ What is the name of the next river, Mr. Brown? ” 

“ It is called the ‘ Dirty Devil,’ ” was the reply. 

“ How did it come to have a name like that? ” asked 
Happy. “ However,” he added, “ I don’t believe I 
care much how it got its name, but tell me, please, is 
there any chance of our catching a mess of trout for 
supper ? ” 

“ No chance there,” was the reply. “ I’ve read about 
this river in Major Powell’s book. Like ourselves, his 
party was always on the outlook for a mess of trout. 
According to Powell, the river got its odd name from 
the fact that one of their party whose boat had landed 
long before the others was seen coming back from the 
stream. 

“ ‘ Any show for fish ? ’ he inquired. 

“ ‘ No,’ was the reply, c this river is a dirty devil. 
You will find no fish in it.’ 

250 


The Jaws of Death 

“ And this, indeed, they found to be true, since this 
river poured into the main stream waters heavily laden 
with finely pulverized material gathered from the soil 
on its way.” 

Their camp-fires were especially enjoyable. During 
the daytime the air is often very hot, but rapidly chills 
at sunset. When, therefore, they stopped for the night 
they were glad to sit around a roaring camp-fire which 
they invariably kindled whenever it was possible to 
obtain sufficient wood. It is true that in some places 
they found it difficult to collect even sufficient to start 
a fire large enough to boil water for their coffee or tea. 

Possibly some of my readers may imagine that dur- 
ing most of their journey the voyagers sat comfortably 
in their boats, only using the oars occasionally to carry 
them downstream. In point of fact, they had but little 
experience of such idle times. In the more rapid por- 
tions of the stream they were obliged to work hard 
in order to keep the boats from being dashed against 
the rocky walls of the canons. And where the river 
channel had broadened, the boats often grounded while 
passing over a sandbar or mudflat. Then there was 
only one thing to do. 

“ Overboard all and lighten the boat,” the command 
would come, when all jumping, without waiting to 
remove shoes or clothing, they would find themselves 
in the shallow water. The boat thus lightened, soon 
could be pushed from the bar and again be afloat. It 

251 


The Jaws of Death 

was very seldom they reached camp with entirely dry 
clothes. All the more reason, therefore, for a roaring 
camp-fire. 

There was much that was attractive in these camp- 
fires. Night came on rapidly, and when their fire was 
large the ruddy glow lighting up the objects imme- 
diately around them, gave the camp a comfortable look 
that was greatly increased by contrast with the sur- 
rounding darkness and gloom. 

“ Very comfortable, Bill, is it not? ” said Happy one 
night when the air was unusually chilly. 

“ It be thet, Hap,” was the reply. “ But we be burn- 
ing wood so fast thet onless we git more it won’t last 
until to-morrer. So come help Pete and me roll this 
big log on the fire. When it burns it will make our 
camp snug and warm.” 

“ I’m with ye, Bill,” said Pete, “ and when we do 
this let’s get a big pile of wood together so thet when 
the story-tellin’ begins we won’t hev to go around 
looking for wood to keep the fire goin’.” 

Pete was alluding to the custom of Engleman and 
Brown of discussing the important events of the day, 
or talking about the many geological wonders they had 
seen, as soon as everything was ready for the night 
and they collected around the camp-fire. 

At the camp-fire all in turn told stories, either about 
their own experiences or the experiences of others. 
Bill and Pete spun many wonderful yarns concerning 
their life among the cowboys. Such stories were ex- 
ceedingly interesting, as were also those about the 
252 


The Jaws of Death 

bloody encounters the cowboys, many years ago, had 
with the wild Apaches and other predatory Indian 
tribes of the Southwest. Brown, who had spent the 
greater part of his life in Utah, was able to tell them 
many interesting stories about the Mormons. 

“ You must not think,” he said on one occasion, 
“ that I am a Mormon. I have a poor opinion of these 
people; though, in candor, I must say that some of 
them are pretty square. Most, however, are far from 
pleasant neighbors. I am not surprised,” he added, 
“ that much bad feeling exists between the Gentiles, as 
the other white people of Utah are called, and the 
saints, or Mormons.” 

“ Brown,” inquired Engleman, “ do you know any- 
thing about the Danites ? ” 

“ I suppose you mean the Avenging Angels ? ” re- 
plied Brown. “ Yes, I can tell you some little about 
them. The name Danites was given to a band of out- 
laws organized many years ago. It is the general be- 
lief that the Danites no longer exist. Some of the 
people of Utah believe that the band led by Joe Smith 
can in some respects be regarded as Danites. Indeed, 
I guess Joseph Smith could tell you no little about those 
old organized thieves and cutthroats. 

“ However,” continued Mr. Brown, “ as Joe Smith 
is not here, I will tell you the little that is known about 
them. So far as I have been able to discover, the name 
Danites was originally g*iven to a band of Mormons 
regularly organized to act as avengers of blood against 
their enemies the Gentiles.” 

253 


The Jaws of Death 

“Do you know, Mr. Brown,’’ inquired Happy, 
“ how they got the name Danites ? ” 

“ They took their name from the blessing Jacob gave 
his son Dan. I notice you carry a Bible with you, my 
lad. Read to us the seventeenth verse of the forty- 
ninth chapter of Genesis.” 

Happy read the verse as follows: 

“ 4 Dan shall be a serpent by the way, an adder in 
the path that biteth the horse’s heels, so that his rider 
shall fall backwards.’ ” 

“ The organization of the Danites,” continued Mr. 
Brown, “ was only for the purpose of protecting the 
Mormons from the mob. I believe the Danites origi- 
nally consisted of some three hundred men, bound by 
a solemn oath under penalty of death to sustain the 
‘ First Presidency ’ and one another in all things 
whether right or wrong. The members were divided 
into companies of fifties and tens, commanded by of- 
ficers and a general over the whole. I understand too, 
that special companies were appointed for the purpose 
of burning and destroying, at first for the sake of 
reprisal, but afterward in the way of assassinations, in 
order to fulfil prophecies. 

“ The Danites naturally attracted to themselves 
many of the lawless people of the Mormons. Many 
murders and other outrages were committed against 
the Gentiles, so that the Danites were greatly detested 
by all decent people. Nor was the feeling limited to 
the Danites. It extended to the Mormons generally, 
who were charged with being the actual leaders of the 
254 


The Jaws of Death 

outlaws. Naturally, the Mormons denied having any- 
thing to do with the Danites. The result has been that 
if the organization still exists, as some believe it does, 
it has been kept as much out of sight as possible.” 

“ Do you think, Brown,” inquired Engleman, “ that 
the Danites still exist ? ” 

“ I am inclined to believe they do. As in the case of 
the Mormons who are with Joe Smith, these bands 
are apt to be strengthened by the worst class of In- 
dians as well as by fugitives from justice, who seek in 
the company of outlaws the safety a decent man would 
refuse them.” 

“ That, at least,” said Engleman, “ is what a Rus- 
sian named Mashinsky has done with Smith’s band.” 

“ I have heard of Mashinsky,” said Brown. 

“ It’s early yet, Brown,” said Engleman. “ You 
have been living so long in Utah that you must be 
pretty well informed concerning the Mormons. Won’t 
you tell us something about them ? ” 

“ With pleasure,” was the reply. “ As you doubt- 
less know, the Mormons are better known throughout 
Utah as the ‘ Latter Day Saints.’ By the way,” he 
added, “ this sect was formed by a Joseph Smith, a 
distant connection, I believe, of the Smith in whom we 
are now interested. The original Joseph Smith 
founded a sect called the Mormons as early as 1830, 
not as is generally believed in Utah but at Fayette, a 
town in Seneca County, New York State. 

“ Smith claimed that an angel appeared and revealed 
to him, as early as 1823, a place where he discovered a 
255 


The Jaws of Death 

number of gold plates on which mysterious writings 
had been inscribed. It was not, however, until four 
years afterward that he was able to decipher them. 

“ The inscriptions on the plates were said to be in 
modernized Egyptian, which Smith was unable to read 
until instructed by another revelation. He again ex- 
amined the box, when he discovered an instrument 
called the ‘ Urim and the Thummim/ consisting, I 
understand, of two transparent minerals shaped like 
spectacle glasses. When put in a frame and applied to 
his eyes they immediately enabled him to understand 
the characters. 

“ I have been told that the translation thus made by 
Smith was dictated as follows : The plates were placed 
on a table on one side of a screen, while Smith sat at 
this table and dictated to scribes on the other side of 
the screen. It was in this way that a book, published 
in 1830, called the ‘ Book of Mormon/ was written. 
It was, however, really composed in a Pittsburgh print- 
ing-office by a man called Sydney Rigdon who, in pro- 
ducing it, made use of a manuscript that had fallen 
into his hands. 

“ The supreme power of the Mormon church is 
vested in a president or prophet, elected by the entire 
body. This prophet alone works miracles and receives 
revelations as the orthodox Mormon believes. 

“ The Mormons believe in both the Holy Bible and 
the Book of Mormon. This latter book claims to con- 
tain a history of the world from the confusion of 
tongues, at the building of the Tower of Babel, down to 
256 


The Jaws of Death 

the end of the fourth century of the Christian era. It 
was at this time that the prophet Mormon is said to 
have written the history on the gold plates and con- 
cealed them until their hiding-place was revealed by an 
angel to Smith. 

“ The religion of the Mormons, although accepted 
by many, has never been popular in the Southwest gen- 
erally. The hostility of the people against the Mor- 
mon sect was so marked that they were obliged to 
seek refuge in a town in Ohio, where they rapidly in- 
creased in numbers. In 1838 a colony of Mormons 
founded in Illinois a city called Nauvoo, or the ‘ City 
of Beauty.’ This city flourished wonderfully and soon 
contained many people. It had in it a beautiful temple, 
built, as Smith claimed, from plans revealed to him 
in a vision. 

“ There appears to be no doubt,” continued Mr. 
Brown, “ that Smith was a dissipated, immoral man, 
who was so disliked by the people in the vicinity of 
Nauvoo that he was finally forced to take refuge in 
jail. A mob, however, that stormed the jail took 
Smith out and shot him. 

“ The death of Smith did not put an end to the 
growth of the Mormon sect. A man named Brigham 
Young, who had left the city of Nauvoo in 1847, with 
a company of one hundred and forty-three people, 
built on the twenty-fourth of July, in the valley of 
Salt Lake, a town that eventually became Salt Lake 
City. 

“ Young informed the colonists that where they 
r 257 


The Jaws of Death 

had settled was ‘ The Promised Land.’ It must cer- 
tainly have appeared to them a very doubtful kind of 
promised land ; for, as you probably know, the wonder- 
ful fertility the region now enjoys has been the result 
of an intelligent system of irrigation, made possible by 
collecting water from the rains and melting snows in 
reservoirs on the sides of the neighboring mountains 
and leading it over the ground. In this way the desert 
has been made to blossom like the rose. 

“ Salt Lake City thus founded has had a marvelous 
growth, a growth due to the wonderful influence 
Young exerted over his followers. The one hundred 
and forty-three original settlers eventually multiplied 
to a population of more than a quarter of a million in 
this part of the country. In addition to these there are 
Mormon communities in other parts of the country. 

“ So great has the growth of Salt Lake City been, 
that in 1867 the people erected a tabernacle, capable of 
seating seven thousand. This building is remarkable 
for its construction. Although two hundred and fifty 
feet in length, one hundred and fifty feet in breadth, 
and eighty feet in height, its roof is without any sup- 
porting pillars. 

“ The public feeling against the Mormons has in- 
creased rather than decreased. So great was the feel- 
ing against this sect, that a man named Woodruff, who 
was elected prophet in 1887, found it necessary, in 
order to meet the demands of the government and se- 
cure the admission of Utah as a State of the Union, to 
issue a manifesto forbidding polygamy.” 

258 


CHAPTER XXI 


Journey Through the Canon Continued 

Glen Canon extends from the mouth of the Dirty 
Devil River to the mouth of the Paria. Between these 
the Colorado receives on its western bank the Esca- 
lante, the San Juan, and the Navajo Creek, all fairly 
large streams. 

In some parts of Glen Canon, as well as in other 
canons of the Colorado, there are tall, slender, verti- 
cal columns of rock that project hundreds of feet 
above the general surface. These columns are com- 
mon on the margins of the wider canons. In some in- 
stances they have even resisted the erosion that cut out 
the river channel, as in the case of a huge column, or 
monument, projecting as an island above the middle 
of the stream. It is known as Island Monument, and 
forms an unusual object rising, as it does, so abruptly 
from the bed of the river. 

As they passed the mouth of the San Juan River, 
they observed that Awake-in-the-Night appeared to be 
especially familiar with this part of the canon. 

Recalling the rumors of a rich vein of gold quartz 
in this part of the country in one of the deep cuttings 
in the canon walls, Engleman inquired of the Indian : 

“ Are there any gold mines in this neighborhood, 
Awake-in-the-Night? ” 


259 


The Jaws of Death 

“ How can Awake-in-the-Night know gold mines? ” 
he replied. “ Awake-in-the-Night not a prospector.” 

Awake-in-the-Night clearly wished the boats to 
make a short stop at this point. When they passed 
the mouth of the San Juan River it was only shortly 
after noon, and therefore much too early to make 
camp for the night. Nevertheless, Awake-in-the-Night, 
turning to Engleman, said : 

“ Heap good place to make camp here. Not so good 
further on. Perhaps Smile-on-his-Face will take his 
rifle and go with Awake-in-the-Night and shoot moun- 
tain sheep. Heap good to eat.” 

“ What do you say, professor?” inquired Brown. 
“ I know you are anxious to get on, but some fresh 
meat would be very agreeable just now. Then, while 
the lad and the Indian are away, we can make an ex- 
amination of this side canon.” 

“ I understand, Brown,” replied Engleman, laugh- 
ing. “ You would especially like to make that exami- 
nation. Well, the delay will not be very great. I think 
we will do what Awake-in-the-Night suggests.” 

A site was selected for the camp where the boats 
could be moored in the shallow water, with a stretch of 
level ground a few feet above the stream. While Bill 
and Pete were starting the fire in readiness for the eve- 
ning meal, Awake-in-the-Night and Happy left camp 
with the professor and Mr. Brown. The two parties 
soon separated, the gentlemen going to examine a side 
canon, while the Indian and the boy proceeded directly 
up the main canon of the San Juan. 

260 


The Jaws of Death 

“ Have you been here often before, Awake-in-the- 
Night? ” inquired Happy. 

“ Here heap times with Joe Smith and his Indians,” 
was the reply. “ Many suns further on,” he said, 
pointing up the canon, “ if go quick, find big ruins of 
cliff village on Mancos River, where Joe Smith some- 
times lives.” 

Remembering the question put to the Indian shortly 
before by the professor, Happy remarked : 

“ There is a big gold mine there, is there not, 
Awake-in-the-Night? ” 

Awake-in-the-Night saw what Happy was trying to 
find out, for he said in an angry tone : 

“ Why does Smile-on-his-Face ask such heap fool 
questions? How can Awake-in-the-Night know about 
gold mines ? ” 

“ And yet,” said Happy, “ in the Colorado Desert 
Awake-in-the-Night brought beautiful black gold ore 
to Smile-on-his-Face when he was lying in camp with 
a hurt leg. Awake-in-the-Night could find gold mine 
there. Then why not here ? ” 

“ Smile-on-his-Face ask too many questions. Awake- 
in-the-Night not answer them now. Maybe he answer 
them another time. But,” he continued, suddenly 
changing the subject, “ this heap good place for moun- 
tain sheep. Smile-on-his-Face look around here for 
sheep. Awake-in-the-Night go alone and be back be- 
fore heap long.” 

With this the Indian left the lad and disappeared on 
a run up the canon. 


261 


The Jaws of Death 

“ He wants to be alone/’ said Happy to himself. 
“ Well, the best thing I can do is to see if I can find 
any game. I feel sure Awake-in-the-Night intends 
coming back, so I’ll try to kill a sheep. Then I will 
wait for him for a reasonable time, and if he does not 
show up I’ll make my way back to camp.” 

It was fully an hour before the lad saw any signs of 
game, and a half-hour more before he was able to come 
near enough to risk a shot. He was successful, how- 
ever, in bringing down a large sheep in excellent con- 
dition. He had no more than reached the dead animal 
when he was joined by Awake-in-the-Night. From 
his appearance the Indian had been on the run most of 
the time he had been away. Though evidently pleased 
to see the sheep the lad had killed, he said nothing, 
only giving a grunt that Happy interpreted to mean 
“ good,” though whether it meant good boy or good 
meat Happy did not know. 

The large mountain sheep, borne into camp, was 
gladly received by Pete and Bill. 

Bill was especially pleased. As the Indian and 
Happy approached the camp-fire, he said to Pete : 

“What did I tell ye, Pete? Ye said ye’d bet thet 
nothin’ would come in the way of meat. When 
Awake-in-the-Night and Hap left, I telled ye thet ef 
it didn’t it’d be a’cause thar war no meat to be lied; 
thet ef Hap drew a bead on anything I was gamblin’ 
he’d git it. And see here,” he added, when the sheep 
was placed near the fire, pointing to where the bullet 
had entered, “ a good aim. Straight fer the heart.” 

262 


The Jaws of Death 

“ I ain’t denyin’ thet,” said Pete ; “ and I be only 
too glad thet the kid hez brung us so much good meat.” 

It afterward appeared that, wishing to obtain the 
professor’s opinion as to a mineral deposit he had dis- 
covered, Awake-in-the-Night had gone to a place he 
knew of and brought with him a few specimens of such 
ore as he could get. But it was not until they had 
reached the next camp, and were ready to turn in for 
the night, that he handed the specimens to Engleman 
and inquired : 

“ Will white chief look at this and tell Awake-in-the- 
Night is it worth anything? ” 

To Engleman’s experienced eye it was evident that 
what the Indian handed him was a specimen of free- 
milling gold quartz that contained a large percentage 
of the precious metal. Although the gold was dis- 
tributed in extremely small fragments, yet there was 
enough present to give the mineral an unusually high 
specific gravity. 

Without answering the Indian’s question directly, 
Engleman inquired : 

“ Where did you get this, Awake-in-the-Night? ” 

“Worth anything?” inquired the Indian, repeating 
his question without replying to the professor’s. 

“ Yes, it is a very rich specimen of free-milling 
gold,” was the reply. “ Where did you get it? ” 

“Awake-in-the-Night heap friend of white man, 
but not tell white man now. Tell him another time. 
Get it up there,” pointing up the canon of the San 
Juan; “ but brought it there from another place further 
263 


The Jaws of Death 

on. Catch Joe Smith first and come back, and maybe 
Indian will show white man heap good mining-place.” 

It is not our intention to attempt to describe the 
remaining canons that lay between the end of the Glen 
Canon and the lower courses of the Colorado River. 
The principal of these canons were known as the Mar- 
ble Canon and the Great Canon of the Colorado River. 
The Marble Canon takes its name from the character 
of the rock through which the river has cut its way, and 
the Grand Canon of the Colorado from the fact that 
here the depth of the canon is greater than elsewhere. 
These two sections lie between the mouth of the Little 
Colorado and the mouth of the Virgin River. 

There had been many opportunities for our friends 
to view grand scenery on their adventurous voyage. 
Many other places had exhibited scenery grander than 
that through which they were now passing, but for 
a combination of beauty and grandeur the Marble 
Canon was able to hold its own. I would ask my read- 
ers to try to picture to themselves a river sweeping past 
masses of magnificent marble of varying colors, that 
wherever reached by the current had been highly 
polished. 

In many of these places the river was wide. During 
floods it had extended far on either side and polished 
the solid bed of marble over which it flowed. When 
our friends were passing through this portion of the 
Marble Canon, the water was fairly low, so that they 
were able to walk for more than a mile on a pavement 
264 


The Jaws of Death 



A Scene in Marble Canon 

265 







The Jaws of Death 

of polished marble that was set with fragments of dif- 
ferently colored material, that made it look as if some 
giant had been amusing himself building a pavement 
into which he had wrought many fantastic patterns. 

In Marble Canon the cliffs are twenty-five hundred 
feet high and consist entirely of marble. As the mar- 
ble is of different colors, the appearance it presents 
when lighted by the sun is beyond description. To be 
appreciated it must be seen. 

Thus far during their voyage rainstorms had been 
infrequent. When they reached the Marble Canon a 
rainy spell set in. Indeed, so wet did their clothes 
become that, as Happy expressed it, it was actually a 
pleasant experience to jump into the water. 

The sky was clear the day they entered Marble 
Canon. As they passed between the high cliffs at a 
place where the river turns sharply to the east, they 
saw something on a portion of the marble wall that 
at first they were unable to understand. The wall 
looked as if millions of brilliant gems had been set in its 
surface; for they scattered the light that fell on them 
so as to resemble the precious stones. Had they dis- 
covered a Golconda, where diamonds and rubies could 
be had for the mere gathering? They scanned the 
cliffs eagerly and urged the boats forward. When they 
came nearer the explanation was evident. The seem- 
ing jewels were caused by countless little fountains 
bursting from the rocks high overhead and gleaming 
in the brilliant sunshine. 


266 


The Jaws of Death 

While examining this wonderful sight they had the 
good fortune to see the change produced by a coming 
storm that broke, as storms are apt to do in this dis- 
trict, with great suddenness. Almost at once in the 
place of the seeming gems, fed by the rills, came 
streams of muddy water, loaded with sands and clay, 
to scour and polish the marble walls over which they 
poured. 

The force of the stream directed against one side of 
the cliff, where the marble was soft, had hollowed it 
out in the form of a huge semicircular cave or cham- 
ber. There were several of these natural chambers, 
one of which looked as if it had been made expressly 
for a huge amphitheater. The river was then low and 
the floor of the cave quite dry. Wishing to examine 
the cave, Engleman motioned to Awake-in-the-Night 
to stop the boat, when he and Happy got out and went 
a little distance into the cave. 

“ I am forgetting Mr. Brown,” said the professor 
after he had advanced a short distance. “ I will call, 
asking him to join us.” 

Brown’s boat was some distance back of them, so 
Engleman called in a loud voice: 

“ Come here, Brown ! Something interesting. Stop 
here ! 9 

Instantly, as if spoken by a giant voice coming ap- 
parently from the back of the cave, they heard the 
words “ interesting. Stop here,” and then repeated, 
“ Stop here — here ! ” 

Awake-in-the-Night, who had followed them, said : 

267 


The Jaws of Death 

“ Spirits of the dead say to white man, stop.” 

“ It’s nothing, Awake-in-the-Night,” replied the pro- 
fessor, “ but an echo.” 

But Awake-in-the-Night, without making any reply, 
hurried back to the boat. 

“ I can understand, professor,” said Happy, “ how 
the walls in front of us could repeat what you said, 
but I don’t see how they can be repeated again and 
again.” 

“ The cliff opposite us,” replied the professor, point- 
ing to a marble precipice that rose perpendicularly from 
the opposite shore of the river, “ throws the sound- 
waves back again, so we hear the sounds repeated.” 

Happy and the professor commenced singing, and 
both the notes and the words were thrown back with 
strange strength. 

“ We will find, I think,” said Engleman, “ some 
places where the echoes are the strongest. This will 
be at the focus where most of the sound-waves col- 
lect.” Walking about from place to place it did not 
take long before, to their great surprise, the sounds 
collected so well that they were greatly increased in 
strength. 

So interested were they that they had not noticed 
the approach of Brown and his boat, and were there- 
fore startled to hear as if some one had been standing 
back of them and talking in their ears, a voice evidently 
that of Mr. Brown, saying : 

“ Where are the professor and Happy, Awake-in- 
the-Night? ” 


268 


The Jaws of Death 

" Gone to talk with the spirits in the cave,” was the 
reply. 

Asking Awake-in-the-Night to look after his boat, 
Brown, Bill, and Pete soon joined the other two inside 
the cave. They had discovered a wonderful whisper- 
ing gallery. The cave was built on a far greater scale 
than any of the great domes of any building erected by 
man. While standing at the focus the faintest whisper 
from almost anywhere in the cave could be heard. 

“ This is like what we heard in the cave back of the 
ruins of the cliff village on the Mancos,” remarked 
Happy. 

As they afterward learned, Marble Canon increases 
in depth from its head to its foot, where the walls are 
fully three thousand five hundred feet high. It has a 
length of sixty-five and a half miles. 

Passing out from the Marble Canon at the mouth 
of the Little Colorado, or the Colorado Chiquito, they 
entered the Grand Canon of the Colorado. The steep 
descent of the river, and the fact that here it flows 
through granite, made the passage dangerous, neces- 
sitating both frequent portages and the letting down of 
the boats by ropes. In many places ledges of rocks ex- 
tended far out into the stream with their tops just be- 
low the surface. Where creeks or small tributaries 
enter the river the channel is often choked with bould- 
ers, and in some places dams have been formed, thus 
making dangerous waterfalls. 

One especially dangerous part of their journey 
through the Grand Canon, was when they heard a 
269 


The Jaws of Death 

roar that became louder and louder as they approached. 
It was caused by a succession of dangerous rapids and 
waterfalls, with a descent of probably eighty feet in 
a third of a mile. After much trouble they managed 
to anchor the boats above a dangerous place in the 
river and sought a portage. But none was to be found. 
The increase in the volume of the river the storm had 
caused had covered the only path. It was out of the 
question to carry their boats to the top of the granite 
cliff, one thousand feet above, so they were obliged to 
take the risk of shooting the rapids. It was a dangerous 
undertaking, but they had no choice. Freeing their boats 
they were soon being carried at a very rapid pace down 
the stream. Again and again the boats were nearly 
destroyed by being dashed against the rocks, but the 
danger was averted by skilful steering, and at last they 
were riding in comparatively quiet water. 

Other waterfalls and rapids, however, barred their 
progress. The canon is narrow and the waters, in- 
stead of flowing quietly, boil and swirl, often carrying 
the boats now close to one of the walls, now to the 
other, and now catching them and spinning them so 
rapidly that they were almost unmanageable. 

Again and again it seemed as if there was no hope of 
their getting through safely. But even had they 
wished they could not turn back. They must go on- 
ward, and so continued until they came near being en- 
gulfed in a place where the river is said never to give 
up its dead. 


270 


CHAPTER XXII 


A Storm. Both Boats Lost 

A trying day was drawing toward its close. It had 
rained almost steadily since early morning, and they 
were wet to the skin. Now that they were in the gran- 
ite portion, in almost the deepest portions of the canon, 
where the surface was more than a mile above the 
level of the river, portages were practically impossible. 

The darkness would soon be on them, and unless 
a place to camp was soon found they would be com- 
pelled, as they had several times before, to pass the 
night in the boats. 

“ I am afraid we will be unable to find a site for a 
camp, Brown.” 

“I hope you are wrong,” replied Brown; “but it 
certainly looks that way.” 

Turning to Awake-in-the-Night, Engleman inquired 
whether there was any hope of reaching a camp site 
before sunset, and was glad to be assured that about a 
mile farther down they would come to a side canon in 
the main stream where they would find a good camp- 
ing-place. 

“ Are you sure ? ” inquired Engleman. “ Have you 
ever been down here before ? ” 

“ Awake-in-the-Night sure,” was the reply. “ Has 
been here before with Joe Smith.” 

271 


The Jaws of Death 

“ Was the passage then as bad as it is now ? ” in- 
quired Mr. Brown. 

“ River not so bad then. But,” he added, “ we soon 
find good place for camp.” 

After they had gone about a mile farther the side 
canon came into sight. Awake-in-the-Night did not 
speak, but contented himself with pointing trium- 
phantly to the place. 

The camp site thus pointed out was excellent in all 
respects but one. While there was plenty of level 
space where they could build their camp-fire, the stream 
was deep close to the bank and, moreover, was fairly 
swift. In order to keep the boats in place, it was neces- 
sary to secure them by placing their anchors on the 
land and also by attaching the ropes to rocks on the 
shore. 

But there was one feature about the site that 
pleased them. This was the abundance of drift tim- 
ber that had been swept down the side canon and into 
the main stream. But they found it difficult to kindle 
a fire. The wood had been so thoroughly wet by the 
rain that it was hard to start it, and when started it 
was even harder to keep it burning, since a strong 
wind, blowing down the canon, drove the rain directly 
against the fire and threatened to put it out again and 
again. 

But these difficulties were nothing compared with 
what they met when they began trying to do any cook- 
ing. Although they succeeded at last in getting the 
water to boil for a pot of coffee, Bill, who was en- 
272 


The Jaws of Death 

deavoring to bake some flapjacks, at last gave up the 
attempt in disgust. 

“ I reckon, Pete,” said Bill, “ we kain’t have flap- 
jacks to-night, onless this storm stops awhile.” 

A short distance up the right-hand bank of the side 
canon, about forty feet above the surface of the water 
in the main canon, the nearly vertical walls had been 
hollowed out by the action of the water so as to form 
a kind of a cave. 

When Happy saw Bill’s difficulty with the fire, he 
said : 

“ Don’t you think you’d find that place better for our 
camp-fire, Bill? Build it under the clifif there. The 
way the wind is blowing now leaves that place almost 
dry.” 

“ Thet be a good idee, Hap,” was the reply. 

“ That is certainly the place for our camp,” said 
Engleman. “ I can’t understand why we did not see 
it long before.” 

“ It was nearly dark when we landed,” said Brown. 
“ We only see it now by the light from our fire.” 

A big pile of driftwood was soon collected near the 
cave. A moderately good fire was readily started, and 
Bill again began preparations for supper. 

“ I’ll help you, Bill,” said Happy, “ by getting some 
things from the boat.” 

“ Awake-in-the-Night go too. Will help git big 
supper,” said the Indian. 

Before long they returned, staggering under a heavy 
load, made up of flour and other articles of food, their 
s * 273 


The Jaws of Death 

rifles, and other things the boats had been laden with. 

As they approached the shelter of the shallow cave, 
they were greeted with laughter by Mr. Brown and the 
professor. 

“ It looks as if you intended to eat a big supper, 
don’t it? ” said Mr. Brown. “ Why have you brought 
all this stuff with you? There is enough there to last 
for more than a week.” 

Engleman contented himself with remarking good- 
naturedly : 

“ Better put it under shelter of the rocks and cover 
it with the rubber blanket. Why did you bring so 
much ? ” he inquired of Bill. 

“ Ef ye hed seen the water in the kivered place we 
brung this stuff from, ye’d not ask thet question.” 

“ But what makes the compartment leak? Has the 
boat been injured?” inquired Engleman anxiously. 

“ I reckon thet part of the boat hez got some purty 
hard blows. Anyhow, the place hed enough water in 
it to spile the stuff, so we brung it all along.” 

“ I suppose, Happy,” said the professor, “ that is 
why you have brought the weapons. Of course you 
have brought the ammunition ? ” 

“ I brought all the shells I could find, sir,” replied 
Happy. 

“ We had better go and look at the boat, Brown,” 
said the professor. 

An examination showed that a seam had started in 
the covering of one compartment, as well as in a por- 
tion a short distance below the water-line, so that con- 
274 


The Jaws of Death 

siderable water had leaked in. The other compart- 
ment of that boat, and the two compartments of the 
other boat, were found to be uninjured. 

“ We had better bring all the things in this com- 
partment to the cave,” said Engleman to Brown. 

This was soon done, and the goods packed away as 
far as possible from the opening of the shallow cave 
and covered by the rubber blanket. 

It was a great supper that Bill and Pete prepared 
for the hungry and wet voyagers, as they sat huddled 
together near the cheerful fire under the protection of 
the overhanging rock. 

Their meal consisted of hot canned soup, flapjacks, 
stewed apples, and tea. Three things conspire to en- 
sure a good meal : the food, its preparation, and sharp 
appetites, and the last is most important. All of them 
had eaten better food, and much better cooked and 
more delicately served, but none of them had ever 
eaten with greater zest. These appetites had, as it 
were, been in training all that day, so that the meal 
was enjoyed to such an extent that in after life they 
often seemed to eat it over again in imagination, and 
never failed to speak with great satisfaction about the 
good things they had on that memorable occasion. 

Moreover, their camp under the overhanging rock 
had at last become fairly comfortable. It was cozy and 
warm, and their clothes were rapidly drying. 

Everything was at last cleaned up for the next morn- 
ing, and they were beginning the usual camp-fire 
stories, when the storm suddenly increased in violence, 
275 


The Jaws of Death 

accompanied by a change in the direction of the wind. 
The rain was now blown directly toward the fire and 
into the cave, so that it again became a question as to 
whether they could keep the fire burning through the 
night. 

Toward midnight they made an effort to protect the 
cave and fire by leaning a number of the longer pieces 
of drift timber against the projecting wall of the cave. 
This proved a very inefficient protection, although 
it was somewhat improved by the judicious use of 
nails, another visit being made to the boat to obtain 
necessary nails and hammers. 

The remainder of the night was spent in great anx- 
iety. The storm increased in severity and the water 
began to rise both in the main and in the side canons. 
It was in the side canon, however, that the rise was 
most marked. They could hear the water rushing 
down the narrow gorge. Although they could not see 
around them, yet occasional lightning flashes enabled 
them to see that a great flood was pouring onward. 

Several times during the night they visited the boats 
to see if they were safe. At last, after a considerable 
effort, they succeeded in drawing them up the side of 
the stream and making them, as they thought, secure, 
returned to the cave and a restless slumber. 

By next morning the storm had blown itself out. 
The sun was shining, and the air was rapidly growing 
warmer. Naturally they hurried to where their boats 
had been moored. To their horror they had com- 
pletely disappeared. The ropes had broken short off 
276 


The Jaws of Death 

from the rocks as well as from the anchors to which 
they had been attached. 

Their situation was indeed desperate. All their 
food and supplies, except what they had carried to the 
cave, were gone. And with the boats had gone the 
only means they had of continuing their journey. 

“ Heap bad,” said Awake-in-the-Night. “ No trail 
to top. Canon bad place to find food. We may 
starve.” 

“ Our situation is desperate, Brown,” said the pro- 
fessor. “ I imagine by this time, even if we could 
manage to reach our boats, we would find them use- 
less. What would you advise ? ” 

“ It is hard to say, Engleman,” was the reply. “ I 
do not at present see what we can do.” 

Bill and Pete were unable to give any advice as 
how to get out of what they called a wet road that only 
ran one way, and in which mounts were of no ac- 
count. Had there been horses to deal with these men 
could have advised admirably. 

But it did not appear to cause Happy any great anx- 
iety. On the contrary, a succession of characteristic 
smiles chased one another over his countenance, so 
that Bill lost his patience with the lad, which was, by 
the way, an exceedingly unusual thing. 

“ What be ye grinnin’ at? ” he inquired. “ This be 
so bad a thing thet none of us may stay alive to tell 
folks what hez happened.” 

Engleman, who knew Happy better than the others, 
said to him : 


277 


The Jaws of Death 

“ I am sure, my boy, you could not smile unless you 
thought you saw a way out of the difficulty. If there 
is, let us hear your plan. I remember that when we 
were traveling through the Colorado Desert, it was 
what you were willing to regard as good luck that 
brought these smiles. Now I do not see how in the 
loss of our boats and most of our provisions you can 
find any piece of good luck.” 

“ I do not deny, professor,” said Happy, “ that this 
is bad luck. I understand how serious a thing it is to 
have lost both boats and most of our provisions, but 
was it not, sir,” he continued, “ a piece of wonderfully 
good luck that caused us to collect all this wood around 
the cave and bring out of the boats some of our pro- 
visions? ” 

“ I am not denying, my lad,” said the professor, 
“ that we were fortunate in saving some of our pro- 
visions. But I don’t see what advantage we can get 
from the wood except to build our camp-fires, and 
unless we can find something to eat there will soon be 
no use for camp-fires, at least so far as cooking is con- 
cerned,” he added. 

“ I was thinking, sir,” said Happy, “ that with all 
this wood and the few tools we have here we might be 
able to build a couple of rafts that would at least enable 
us to go down the river to some place where we would 
reach the surface.” 

Brown, who had been listening to the conversation, 
said : 

“ The lad is right, Engleman. He has pointed the 
278 


The Jaws of Death 

way out of our difficulty. See,” he said, pointing to a 
couple of hatchets and saws that had been brought from 
the boat, “ with these tools and with the abundance of 
wood we can obtain at this place we should be able to 
build two fairly good rafts.” 

Happy’s suggestion brought out no little praise from 
the rest of his companions. 

“ Smile-on-his-Face, big head. Make two rafts and 
go down river to catch Joe Smith.” 

“ Hap,” said Bill, grinning, “ ye sartinly be a brainy 
chap. I ask yer pardon for getting mad like. Now 
thet ye hev pinted out the way it seems orful easy to 
git out of this here place.” 


279 


CHAPTER XXIII 


Wreck of the Rafts and Recovery of the Boats 

The building of the rafts having been determined on, 
it became a matter of importance to decide as to their 
size and general construction. They were uncertain at 
first whether a single raft would not be preferable to 
two or more. It was argued, it would be easier to 
build one; that, moreover, with all six on one raft it 
could be steered better. It soon became evident, how- 
ever, that a single raft large enough to hold six would 
be difficult to manage. Indeed, such a raft would be 
too wide to pass through many of the narrow places. 
They therefore determined to build two rafts of about 
the length and breadth of their boats, and to divide 
the food and other stores equally between them. 

They knew by their experience in shooting rapids 
the dangers apt to arise with boats of too great length. 
When caught in an eddy the boat is spun in the water, 
and in trying to pass between projecting rocks may 
catch and be held in place with the ends resting against 
the opposite rocks. This danger they avoided by 
making the rafts as short as practicable. 

When thrown into the water from the boats they 
relied for safety in holding to the sides of the boat. 
This led them to nail short loops of rope on each side 
of the rafts. 


280 


The Jaws of Death 

They built the rafts on the low ground close to the 
river. When completed, they were able, by the use of 
rollers and levers, to move them down into the water. 
Each raft was formed by placing four rather wide 
logs side by side, and held together by cross pieces 
pinned firmly upon them. While building the rafts 
they had the advantage of Mr. Brown’s skill as a car- 
penter, which was a great help. It required, however, 
two days’ hard work to complete their task. 

Their oars had been carried away with the boats, 
so each man was provided with a long pole by which to 
guide their rude craft. 

They provided watertight receptacles for holding 
their limited food supply and ammunition. These con- 
sisted of boxes, made watertight by covering them 
with pieces of rubber blanket. They were secured to 
the raft by a rough enclosure built of split logs. 

Although the storm had passed over, yet the river 
continued rising for a while, but soon rapidly began to 
fall. When everything was ready, the rafts were 
launched upon the stream and started on their perilous 
attempt. The division of the crews was the same as in 
the boats — Awake-in-the-Night, Professor Engleman, 
and Happy leading on one raft, and Mr. Brown, Pete, 
and Bill following on the other. 

It was not long before they made an encouraging 
discovery. Everything considered, the rafts proved to 
be stronger than the boats, and less apt to be injured 
when carried against the rocks in the channels or 
against the walls. Though the sudden shocks thus re- 
281 


The Jaws of Death 

ceived were far from pleasant, yet they gradually be- 
came accustomed to them. 

So much of their rope had been carried away with 
the boats, or had been used on the sides of the rafts, 
that comparatively little was left. Each raft, however, 
was provided with a line of a quite considerable length, 
sufficient to tie up for the night and to let it down 
the rapids. 

It is the second day of their use of the rafts. Happy 
is standing on one side of the raft, Professor Engle- 
man on the other side, and Awake-in-the-Night at the 
head. All have their poles in their hands. Suddenly 
the raft, caught by the current, is hurled toward the 
rocky wall on Engleman’s side of the canon. A quick 
motion of his pole turns it, thus avoiding a serious 
bump. 

The next moment Happy in the same way prevents 
the raft being dashed against the wall. At still another 
time Awake-in-the-Night changes the direction of the 
raft, and so prevents its being hurled against a pro- 
jecting rock. 

“ I like the raft much better than the boat, pro- 
fessor/' remarked Happy. “ I can move about on a 
raft and am not obliged to remain seated hour after 
hour.” 

“ Yes, Happy,” was the reply, “ rafts have many 
advantages over boats, but then boats are more easily 
managed by oars than rafts are by poles. It is true, 
as you say, that one can safely move around on a raft.” 

282 


The Jaws of Death 

“ But don’t you think,” persisted Happy, “ that poles 
are more pleasant to use than oars ? ” 

“ Yes, for keeping the raft off rocks or from striking 
walls; but for moving through the water I prefer 
oars.” 

While the professor was talking they came to shal- 
low water, where the raft was suddenly grounded on a 
sandbar. By the use of their poles they had no diffi- 
culty, however, in pushing it over. 

“ Here, at least,” said Happy, laughing, as the raft 
again caught by the current continued its way down 
the stream, “ you must acknowledge that poles are 
better than oars.” 

“ I do not deny that poles are suited for pushing, 
while oars are poorly adapted for such work,” was the 
reply ; “ for their ends are somewhat curved and they 
are not long enough.” 

Again they are suddenly stopped, this time in a 
shallower part of the stream. All three push with 
their poles, but are -unable to stir the raft. They must, 
therefore, jump into the water, thus by lightening it 
permit it to float again. 

But a dull roar ahead warns them of their ap- 
proach to a rapids. They go cautiously, and let the 
raft down by their line as far as its length will per- 
mit. Passed in this way through the more dangerous 
part, they shoot the remainder; that is, let the current 
carry the raft down, relying on the use of their poles 
to direct it. 

In shooting rapids they are unable to avoid rocks 
283 


The Jaws of Death 

hidden in the channel. Again and again they are 
thrown in the water, but the loops of rope hanging to 
the sides of the raft enable them to catch and hold 
them. 

“ Climb back on the raft again as soon as you can, 
Happy,” said Engleman on one of the many occasions 
when both had been thrown into the water. “ The 
danger here is from having a limb broken or being 
killed outright by being dashed against the rocks.” 

On a similar occasion when Happy had been thrown 
into the water, Awake-in-the-Night said : 

“ Come back to raft heap quick, or the rocks will 
get you.” 

Notwithstanding these inconveniences, rafting 
through the canons of the Colorado would have been 
pleasant enough had it not been for their limited food 
supply. Immediately after the loss of the boats, they 
had been obliged to cut their rations to one-half the 
usual amount, and before long they found it necessary 
to cut this small amount in half, so that they were then 
living on one-fourth the usual quantity. 

The most alarming part of their situation was that 
they saw no reasonable chance of adding to their food 
supply. They were still in a portion of the canon 
where the river runs through the granite, and the walls 
on either side were practically so steep and high as to 
prevent their reaching the surface, and the same con- 
dition effectually prevented game animals from reach- 
ing the river from above. 

Their condition had all along been dangerous, but 
284 


TheJ aws of Death 

owing to a serious accident one day it reached a crisis 
so acute that unless additional food was obtained star- 
vation threatened them. They had just passed a long 
succession of rapids, during which they were repeatedly 
thrown from the raft. But in all cases they had been 
able to regain the raft without anything worse than a 
thorough ducking. At last, however, the portion of 
the rapids through which they passed was so very 
rough that both boxes containing their food were 
broken, and the water washed into them. When the 
rapids were passed they succeeded in mooring the rafts 
in a piece of shallow water, where an examination was 
made as to the extent of the damage. They found 
that their scant supply of flour had been thoroughly 
wet, and their little store of sugar had almost entirely 
disappeared. 

This loss of food was so great that at their next 
meal, which was delayed as long as possible, a ra- 
tion of one-sixteenth of the usual amount completely 
exhausted their supply. The next day they began to 
suffer from hunger that grew more and more acute. 

Their rifles had been repeatedly wet, but as well as 
they could they had kept them in condition should any 
game appear. But none was to be found in the deep 
canon. The river ran so far below the surface that 
the sunlight only reached it when the sun was nearly 
overhead. They tried fishing, but the Colorado is here 
so loaded with mud that fish cannot live in its waters. 
On two different occasions, Happy and Bill had each 
killed a wild duck. These were indeed delicious, but 
285 


The Jaws of Death 

a single bird when divided among six people makes 
a very scant meal. 

At last they grew so weak from hunger that they 
were unable to attend to the rafts. They were obliged 
to let them go as they would, bumping against the 
walls and now against projecting rocks. Fortunately, 
no serious harm was done. They were lying quietly 
on the raft, almost too weak to speak, when the Indian 
said : 

“ Awake-in-the-Night knows a place where there are 
many cliff houses. Joe Smith and his men always stop 
in one of them when they come down the stream, and 
sometimes leave food for next time. Awake-in-the- 
Night not certain, but thinks maybe he find a little 
food there.” 

“ How far from here is the place? ” inquired Engle- 
man, anxiously. 

“ Not far,” was the reply; “ we soon reach it.” 

At last they came to a place on the side of the 
stream where the walls of the canon were more sloping 
than usual, and the river broader. Here they found 
the ruins of a number of cliff houses that had been 
built on the top of one of the higher terraces. 

The hope of food gave them strength, and Awake- 
in-the-Night led them up a path by means of which 
they at length were able to reach the houses. Enter- 
ing the largest, an eager search was begun for food. 
At first they found nothing that could be eaten, but 
at last some mouldy bread and musty flour, with a 
few pounds of dried beans and a little tea were dis- 
286 


The Jaws of Death 

covered. By no means enough for an ordinary square 
meal, it was something. They prepared a meal of this 
food that was moderate for two reasons. First, be- 
cause it is dangerous for people who have been starv- 
ing to overeat, and secondly, because the quantity of 
food they had found was so small that it was necessary 
to make it last as long as possible. 

Like most all the cliff houses they had visited in this 
part of the country, the principal rooms were situated 
at the front of the cliff below an overhanging rock. 
The houses were built on a hard stratum of rock 
parallel to the roof. The excavation had been made in 
a softer rock lying between the two parallel strata. 
There was also found a room back of the main room 
that could be reached only by the usual entrance. 

Remembering one of the back rooms of the cliff 
houses on the Mancos, where a store of dried corn had 
been found, Happy said : 

“ If I had a candle or torch to light me, Bill, I 
would look through the rooms back of the house.” 

“ Ef it is only a light thet ye need, Hap,” said Bill, 
“ here be some dried cactus I reckon some of Joe 
Smith’s people hez brought here. But I don’t think 
ye hev any chance a finding any food, though,” he 
added, “ thar be no harm in yer tryin’.” 

“ Awake-in-the-Night, who had heard this conver- 
sation, remarked: 

“ Smile-on-his-Face heap bright. Maybe he find 
some food; maybe not.” 

But Happy did his own thinking, and was not much 
287 


The Jaws of Death 

influenced by Bill and Awake-in-the-Night. He made 
a careful search through a number of these rooms, and 
at last, in a larger chamber, he found a small store of 
dried corn. 

It was dry and far from attractive, but as Bill re- 
marked : 

“ When it be roasted in the fire it’s a blame sight 
better’n nothin’.” 

So disheartened had they become by repeated trou- 
bles, and so weak from insufficient food, that in a half- 
hearted way they permitted the rafts to be carried by 
the currents as they would when they resumed their 
journey. Moreover, another danger was threatening 
them. The rafts were beginning to go to pieces. At 
last they were dashed against the rocks with such force 
as to be completely wrecked, and they were all thrown 
into the boiling current. 

They thought the end had come. Fortunately, the 
disaster occurred in a place where the water was deep. 
Although they were drawn below the surface by the 
eddies, all rose again and were finally landed on a 
sandbar on one of the banks of the river. 

Scrambling to their feet they hurried to where the 
sandbank projected above the water. If they were 
astonished to find that they had all been thrown with- 
out serious injury together on the same sandbar, that 
astonishment was nothing to what awaited them; for 
there, near them, were both boats lying together with 
their bottoms turned upward! 

288 


The Jaws of Death 

“ What an astonishing thing,” exclaimed Mr. 
Brown, “ that we should be thrown on the very place 
where we find our lost boats side by side ! ” 

“ I look on it as more than a coincidence, Brown,” 
said Engleman. “ To me, this is the act of our 
heavenly Father, who orders all things.” 

f< I am glad to hear you say this, Engleman,” re- 
plied Brown. “ I agree with you. Nothing happens 
by mere chance.” 

“ Cap,” said Bill, “ shall we try to turn the boats 
over, and see ef any of the food-stuff kin be eaten? ” 

“ Do,” was the reply. “ I hardly think that any of 
the airtight compartments will be found free from 
water, but the canned goods should not be injured.” 

They were so weak that it was some time before 
they succeeded in getting the boats in an upright posi- 
tion. The remaining compartment of the boat from 
which they had taken the food supplies on the night 
of the storm was broken, so curiously broken that they 
examined it silently for several moments. 

“ That’s strange, Engleman,” said Brown, at last 
breaking the silence. “ That compartment looks as if 
an explosion had taken place from within. See how 
the top cover has been arched as if considerable force 
had slowly been brought to bear on it. What do you 
suppose has done this ? ” 

“ I am unable to say,” was the reply. “ Let’s re- 
move the top and look. Perhaps we’ll find the ex- 
planation.” 

Since stones were their only tools, it was some time 
t 289 


The Jaws of Death 

before they could do this. At last, however, the cover 
was removed, when the explanation was so simple that 
none of them could refrain from laughter, though it 
was not very loud. The compartment had been stored, 
among other things, with a considerable quantity of 
dried beans and rice. Enough water had leaked in 
through the strained seams to cause the beans and the 
rice to swell, and the increase in the bulk had pro- 
duced a pressure sufficient to burst the strong wooden 
covering. 

“ One would not think, professor,” remarked Happy, 
“ that so great a pressure could be produced in so sim- 
ple a manner.” 

“ It may seem strange at first, my lad,” was the 
reply, “ but like many other things, when we come 
to think about them they cease to be astonishing. It 
may interest you to know that when it is desired to 
prepare a human skull for lecture purposes, with its 
different bones nicely separated from one another, it 
is only necessary to fill the emptied skull with dried 
beans and water, and then plug up all the orifices. The 
beans then swell and produce a pressure sufficient 
slowly to force the different bones apart.” 

The professor’s explanation apparently possessed 
but little interest to Bill and Pete. To them the im- 
portant question was, were the beans fit to eat? It is 
true they smelled quite sour, but as Bill suggested : 

“ I reckon thet ef warmed they’ll make good eatin’, 
especially for hungry fellers who air not partiklar ; fer 
the heat will drive the sour taste away.” 

290 


The Jaws of Death 

And in point of fact, this was found to be the case. 

The compartments of the second boat were almost 
watertight, so that the provisions they contained were 
not only in good condition, but were sufficient in 
amount to last for many weeks to come. 

They were near enough to the shore to form a camp, 
and here they remained for another day. The plan of 
loading the boats with duplicate articles resulted in 
their finding in the uninjured boat tools, nails, screws, 
etc., necessary for repairing the damage the other boat 
had received. 

By the help of the nourishing food, thus almost mi- 
raculously preserved for them, they were ready when 
the boats were again pushed off from the shore to con- 
tinue their dangerous voyage down the canon toward 
the river’s mouth. 


* 


291 


CHAPTER XXIV 


Again on the Tracks of the Danites 

But let us for a while leave Engleman and his party 
floating down the Colorado River after the fortunate 
recovery of their boats, and return to the combined 
parties of Christian and the detectives. As will be 
remembered, Christian’s party included Rob and Nor- 
man, the Chinese cook Sam Lung, and the two cow- 
boys who had been engaged to take the place of 
Colorado Bill and Awake-in-the-Night. The detect- 
ives’ party included Petromelinski, Blank, Francksen, 
Fred, and the two cowboys they had brought with 
them. 

In addition to the above, there were at the start 
twelve miners from different camps in Utah, who had 
volunteered to accompany our friends. These men 
had remained with them for three days only. When 
they found that Smith’s band not only had much faster 
horses, but also knew the country through which they 
were passing so much better than any of their pur- 
suers, and that there did not seem to be any chance 
of overtaking them within a reasonable time, they 
determined, though reluctantly, to return to their 
camp. 

“ While we wish to do all we can to help you, 
gents,” said the man who acted as their leader, “ we 
292 


The Jaws of Death 

cannot afford to leave our work for the time it seems 
will be required.” 

“ I cannot blame you, gentlemen,” said Mr. Chris- 
tian, “ for this decision.” 

“ I have been talking the matter over with my 
mates,” replied the man. “ They agree with me that 
you should have no trouble in getting all the help 
you need at any of the mining camps you pass 
through. Let the miners know what the trouble is, 
and they’ll be glad to help you.” 

It was a bitter disappointment to Joseph Smith to 
have the sale of his mining prospects in Utah come so 
suddenly to an end. He had counted on it for the 
money he needed to push work on some of his mines 
in California. He had made an effort to capture the 
detectives, and had pursued them for some distance, 
but when he heard from his Indian scouts, who had 
hurried the Gordons to him, that a party of miners 
from the neighborhood were pursuing him, he gave 
orders to beat a retreat. 

“ It is different now,” he said to the Mormon next in 
command to himself, “ from what it was fifteen or 
twenty years ago. We might have then made a stand 
against these fellows and wiped them out.” 

“ I reckon ye could do thet now, Joe,” said his lieu- 
tenant. “ We know the country so much better than 
they that we could put up a running fight and drop 
them off one after another.” 

“ Yes, we could do it,” replied Smith ; “ but you 
293 


The Jaws of Death 

don’t seem to see that if this were done there would 
be a general rising of the miners in this region, and 
we would be cleaned out. Even if the miners 
let us alone,” he added, “ the United States govern- 
ment would be sure to look after the matter. No ; we 
can do nothing but run. We cannot afford to risk 
our mining properties and our plan of forming a new 
city in southern New Mexico.” 

“ It seems a shame, Joe,” said his lieutenant, “ when 
you were so near selling the claims those fellows 
nipped the deal in the bud.” 

“ I’ll not forget what I owe them,” replied Smith 
with a great oath, which would have sounded odd com- 
ing as it did from one of the leaders of the Latter-Day 
Saints, had not the double character of the man been 
considered. “ I’ll get even with them yet I’ll make 
them suffer for all the trouble they have given me.” 

“What will you do? Will you order the Indians 
to shoot them? That could be done easily.” 

“ Shoot them,” replied Smith with another oath. 
“ Not much ; that would be simply a few moments of 
suffering and then all would be over. No; I'll take 
them prisoners.” 

“ And then,” inquired his lieutenant, with an ex- 
pression on his face that Joseph Smith readily under- 
stood ; “ what will you do then ? ” 

“ I see I need not explain,” replied Smith. “ I will 
only say, watch me when we capture these men. I 
will give them a punishment that will never be for- 
gotten.” 


294 


The Jaws of Death 

Seeing Smith’s feelings toward the detectives, Ma- 
shinsky, waiting for an opportunity of approaching 
him, remarked : 

“ I have more reason to hate these men than you. 
Let me get rid of them for you. Give me a gun or rifle 
and I promise you they will not trouble you much 
longer.” 

Smith angrily replied to the Russian : 

“ Get back to your place among the Indians. They 
are the only ones you are fit to associate with. Don’t 
come here and talk to me. I am able to revenge my- 
self without calling on a fellow like you to help.” 

“ There is no sense in your getting mad,” said 
Mashinsky in a surly tone ; “ I was only offering to do 
what I thought you would like to have done.” 

Smith made no reply to this remark, but beckon- 
ing to the leader of the Indians, said : 

“ Keep this man among you. Under no circum- 
stances let him have a rifle or a revolver. If he at- 
tempts to leave you, shoot him.” 

“ Let him have his knife? ” said the Indian, pointing 
to his stiletto. 

“ Yes, you can let him have that to defend himself 
with,” was the reply. 

The belief that Smith was on a rapid retreat to the 
Colorado Desert appeared to be correct. He had a 
valuable gold mine there, the one that for want of a 
better name was referred to in “ Across the Desert,” 
as the “ Mesa of Rob’s Dream.” 

295 


The Jaws of Death 

Joseph Smith was by no means an ordinary man. 
On the contrary, he was gifted with mental powers 
far above the average. The plans he had formed for 
building a great Mormon city that should outrank Salt 
Lake City, founded so many years before by Brigham 
Young, would require considerable money. It was 
for this that he had been acquiring mines and mining 
prospects in the great Southwest. But now he was 
greatly troubled. He understood too well that the 
hue and cry raised against him by the detectives was 
most dangerous, and that if his operations were to 
continue it would be necessary to let the feeling thus 
aroused die out. He, therefore, gave strict orders 
forbidding his lawless company to commit any out- 
rages at that time at least. In the beginning of his 
career, Smith’s operations were almost entirely of the 
lawless kind, but popular feeling against bands of 
this character had grown so great that, of late years, 
he had kept himself within bounds and limited his 
enterprise to mining operations. 

He had found it necessary to establish temporary 
homes, or places of refuge, in various parts of the 
country through which he operated; that is, in Colo- 
rado, Utah, Nevada, New Mexico, Arizona, and Cali- 
fornia. These were carefully selected in regions that 
were seldom, if ever, visited by other white people, or 
were in places so difficult of access that an effective 
resistance could be put up by a comparatively small 
number of determined men. 

There is probably no portion of the United States 
296 


The Jaws of Death 

that contains such complete hiding-places as that 
through which Smith was retreating. The deserted 
cliff dwellings afforded fairly comfortable temporary 
homes, and, at the same time, were almost impregna- 
ble. Probably the safest of such places were found 
in that extended region embracing the main or side 
canons of the Colorado River. Once in them Smith 
and his party were almost absolutely safe. 

Two routes were open to them as they retreated 
to the Colorado Desert. One of these, requiring the 
crossing of the Grand River, would take them down 
the eastern banks of the Colorado. After crossing, 
besides a number of smaller streams, the San Juan and 
the Little Colorado, he could reach California by 
crossing the Colorado River considerably south of the 
Grand Canon. Since, however, this route would take 
him in places through a somewhat settled district in 
Arizona, and would oblige him to cross one or more 
railroads, he discarded it. 

The other route, which required the crossing of the 
Green River, would enable him to pass through south- 
eastern Utah, northwestern Arizona, and southeast- 
ern Nevada, and California. When intelligently se- 
lected, this route could be made to pass through a 
country where the chance of meeting a white man was 
very small. It was, therefore, the one selected. 

Petromelinski and Blank were again becoming rest- 
less. So far they had not even been able to come up to 
297 


The Jaws of Death 

the pursued or do anything more than catch glimpses 
of them. This method of running down fugitives dif- 
fered so greatly from that they generally employed 
that they were dissatisfied. 

“ If we were sure these fellows are going to the 
Colorado Desert, Ivan,” said Blank to Petromelinski 
shortly after the miners had left them, “ our most 
sensible plan would be to make for the nearest rail- 
road, go on ahead to Yuma, and from there to the 
Colorado Desert and wait until they come up. While 
doing this we could get together bands of miners, and 
make it hot for them when they arrive.” 

“ But suppose you did this, Blank,” said Petrome- 
linski. “We would no sooner get on the cars but 
they would know of it and change their plans. You 
think these fellows keep posted on our movements, do 
you not ? ” he continued. 

“ I’m almost certain of it,” was the reply. “ Smith 
has bands of Indians who could easily follow us, and 
indeed, for that matter, even visit our camp without 
our being able to recognize them.” 

Convinced that it would be foolish, at least at that 
time, to attempt to get ahead of the pursued, the de- 
tectives reluctantly remained with the rest of the 
party. 

Many days had now passed since Colorado Bill had 
left in his endeavor to find Happy. It had been almost 
as long since they had seen Engleman and Awake-in- 
the-Night. The uncertainty concerning their friends 
298 


1 he Jaws of Death 

gave them much uneasiness. Rob especially missed the 
professor and Happy. 

“ Mr. Christian,” remarked Rob, “ Professor Engle- 
man and Awake-in-the-Night will probably turn up 
all right, but I wish I could feel as sure about Happy 
and Colorado Bill. It seems almost hopeless for one 
man to be able to trace Happy through the kind of 
country in which he disappeared. Even supposing that 
Bill should succeed in finding Happy, the chances of 
one man being able to set him free seem very slim.” 

“ What you say has much truth in it. Still, let us 
hope for the best. As for Professor Engleman and 
Awake-in-the-Night, I have no doubt they will soon 
join us. As for Happy and Bill, I am not so certain, 
but I am hoping for the best.” 

Petromelinski, who heard the conversation, sur- 
prised both Mr. Christian and Rob by remarking : 

“ Here comes Blank. Unless I am mistaken he 
brings good news concerning our absent friends.” 

“ How can that be ? ” inquired Christian in sur- 
prise. “ I don’t see how he could have heard any- 
thing about them.” 

Petromelinski smiled and said: 

“ You will understand it in a few moments. In 
the meanwhile look at Blank’s face, Mr. Christian. 
You can see that he has news and good news.” 

“ I bring good news ! ” cried Blank as he approached, 
waving a telegram. “ Listen to this.” 

“ Who sent you the telegram, Blank ? ” inquired 
Christian. 


299 


The Jaws of Death 

“ The captain of the mining men. When he left 
us I asked him to wire full particulars if either Engle- 
man and Awake-in-the-Night, or Bill and Happy, 
turned up at different stations along the route we 
would probably take. He has sent this telegram.” 

“ Of course,” said Christian, “ a natural and sensi- 
ble thing to do. It is a wonder I never thought of it. 
But let’s hear the telegram, Blank. Does the good 
news I read in your face concern both of the missing 
parties ? ” 

“ Listen,” said Blank, who then read the following : 


Several days after we left, with you in pursuit of Joe 
Smith, Engleman and his Indian guide, together with Colo- 
rado Bill, a white lad, and a cowboy named Pete, came into 
our camp. Learning that you were so far ahead of them, they 
determined to attempt to reach you by way of boats down the 
canons of the Colorado. These boats were obtained from a 
Mr. Brown, of Utah, who accompanies the party. They are 
guided by the Indian, Awake-in-the-Night, who is said to be 
familiar with the dangerous route your friends have taken. 
If they meet with no accidents, they hope to reach the 
lower waters of the Colorado either at Yuma, Arizona, at 
the Needles, or still further to the north, in time to meet 
you. 


“ That’s the greatest news we have had for a long 
while,” said Rob. “ All our friends safe. Norman, 
we’ll see your uncle again, and Happy, and Colorado 
Bill. At least I hope so. But it’s a very dangerous 
route they have chosen, is it not? ” he added, turning 
to Mr. Christian. 

“ Exceedingly dangerous,” was the reply. “ But 
300 


The Jaws of Death 

Engleman leads the party. He will take no risks. I 
think we can hope for the best.” 

“ That’s capital news, Blank,” said Petromelinski. 

“ I am especially pleased to hear that Awake-in-the- 
Night will join us. From what you tell me, he knows 
all about the location of Smith’s California mines, and " 
can lead us to all of Smith’s hiding-places.” 

“ Awake-in-the-Night can lead us to the mesa if 
we can only persuade him to do so,” remarked Rob. 

As soon as Rob began talking about the mesa, Pe- 
tromelinski, turning to him, said : 

“ Tell Mr. Blank and me all about this place. I 
understand this is where you saw a man you recog- 
nized as your father, with another man, standing on 
the edge of the mesa when you were in the Colorado 
Desert. Tell us everything about it; don’t leave any- 
thing out.” 

“ Shall I also tell you about my dream?” inquired 
Rob. 

“ Yes, tell us all about it,” was the reply. 

Rob then related the story of his dream. 

“ I dreamed,” he said, “ that our party had left 
Philadelphia for the Southwest with Professor Engle- 
man and Mr. Christian. I thought we had reached 
Yuma and had traveled across the desert for two or 
three weeks. One night, while lying in my blanket, I 
thought I quietly arose, mounted my horse, and left 
camp. 

“ I rode rapidly, across the desert toward the north- 
west. After traveling for a considerable distance I 
301 


The Jaws of Death 

distinctly saw a mesa rising abruptly from the level 
plain. It was an oasis in the desert, for its top was 
covered by a growth of trees. In my dream I dis- 
tinctly saw two men at the summit, one of whom I 
recognized as my father. My father seemed to recog- 
nize me, and I thought I could hear him shouting. 
For more than an hour I rode around the vertical walls 
of the mesa in a vain effort to reach the summit. At 
last I discovered a gully, or arroya, on one side of the 
precipice down which a good-sized stream of water 
was flowing. I could distinctly see in my dream that 
this stream sank into an opening in the ground. 

“ Dismounting from my horse, I commenced climb- 
ing the arroya. It seemed that I would certainly reach 
the top of the mesa, when I suddenly awoke. 

“ Unlike most dreams, this so deeply impressed me 
that I had no difficulty in recalling the appearance of 
the mesa; so that, as I informed Happy, I was sure of 
being able to recognize it should I ever see a mesa like 
it.” 

“ I understand, Robert,” said Petromelinski, “ that 
you afterward saw a mesa in the desert you distinctly 
recognized as that of your dream, did you not? ” 

“ I did,” was the reply, and then Rob told the story 
of how he and Happy, accompanied by Colorado Bill, 
had seen a mesa that he immediately recognized as the 
one he had seen in his dream. 

“ What reason have you for believing,” inquired 
Petromelinski, “ that Awake-in-the-Night knows any- 
thing about the presence of gold on this mesa?” 

302 


The Jaws of Death 

Rob then related how, while Happy was confined to 
the camp from an injury to his ankle, Awake-in-the- 
Night had left the camp and returned, bringing to 
him unusually fine specimens of gold ore. 

Both men were greatly interested in what they heard, 
especially when Mr. Christian assured them that he 
had seen some of these specimens, and that they were 
unusually rich. 

“ This is very important news you are giving us, ,, 
Blank said to Rob. “ Ivan, we must visit that mesa 
the first opportunity we have.” 


303 


CHAPTER XXV 


A New Use for a Baseball 

Mashinsky was having a hard time. His contemptu- 
ous treatment by Smith and his cruel usage by the 
Indians made his life a burden. The Indians had never 
treated him fairly, but now that Smith had ordered them 
to keep him always among them, never to permit him to 
have a gun or a revolver, and to shoot him should he 
make an attempt to escape, they treated him more 
cruelly than ever. It was to him that the hardest and 
most disagreeable camp work was assigned, and when 
meal-times came he only got what the others refused 
to eat, and not much of that. He became increasingly 
angry and resentful, but he was bright enough to con- 
ceal it. As matters grew worse instead of better, he 
determined to make an attempt to escape. 

But there was an angrier man in camp, and this was 
Joseph Smith. He was still smarting under the trick 
the detectives had played on him. His anger so 
warped his judgment that he treated his men with un- 
necessary harshness, and on several occasions punished 
some of the Indians more severely than it was safe to 
do, since in this way he was inviting a mutiny. Ho- 
ping he could persuade some of them while smarting 
under unjust punishment to mutiny in desertion, Ma- 
shinsky cautiously approached them. He found, how- 
304 


The Jaws of Death 

ever, that he was playing a dangerous game. The 
men threatened to tell Smith, and probably would have 
done so had they not feared that he might suspect them. 

In retreating, Smith adopted his old tactics of di- 
viding his men into several separate parties, so that 
by taking different routes it became difficult for his 
pursuers to know which trail to follow. On one of 
these occasions after closely following the western bank 
of the Colorado River, for it was here he had some of 
his best hiding-places, Smith suddenly changed his 
route, turning abruptly to the west over the southern 
part of Utah, until he had crossed the boundary into 
Nevada, when, turning again to the south in order to 
avoid a recently constructed railroad, he resumed his 
route toward the Colorado Desert. 

As usual, three of the Indians had been assigned to 
keep a lookout for Christian’s party and to keep him 
posted as to their movements. 

The Indians chosen for this purpose were the three 
who had also been ordered to keep a watch over Ma- 
shinsky. 

This was the opportunity for which Mashinsky had 
been waiting. 

“ With but three Indians watching,” he said to him- 
self, “ I ought to get a chance to-day to slip off. I’ll 
risk it; if I am shot I’ll only have my troubles over 
sooner. Some of these days,” he said, “ I’ll get even 
with those detectives, as well as with that lad Happy.” 

The three Indians, accompanied by Mashinsky, were 
stealthily hanging on the outskirts of the pursuers, 
u 305 


The Jaws of Death 

Fearing the scouts might get on their tracks, they had 
again adopted the plan of each going in a different 
direction, one of them, however, ordering Mashinsky 
to keep close behind him. 

“ Indian will shoot white man if he tries to get 
away.” 

“ This is my chance,” said Mashinsky to himself, 
and succeeding in slipping away from his Indian, ran 
rapidly in the direction of the camp of his pursuers. 

The consequences attending this act will be related 
in due time. 

So far the trail had led the pursuers close to the 
western side of the Colorado River. Smith had made 
the change in his route before alluded to, and had been 
going rapidly across the southern part of Utah toward 
the boundary of Nevada. He had abandoned the slow, 
irregular flight, and was pushing onward at a rapid 
pace. His pursuers, therefore, found it impossible to 
get anywhere in sight of him. 

A railroad was to Smith an especially dangerous 
thing. He knew that descriptions of his band had 
gone out, and that the people would be on the lookout, 
and therefore he avoided the railroads where they were 
likely to be. It was for this reason that shortly after 
entering Nevada he again changed the direction of his 
flight toward the western bank of the Colorado, in the 
region of the great canon. It was at this time that 
he had ordered his Indians to conceal and confuse his 
tracks, to watch the pursuers, and to send him word as 
306 


The Jaws of Death 

soon as they had again succeeded in tracking him. It 
was also at this time too, that Mashinsky had suc- 
ceeded in escaping from the single Indian attending 
him, and was rapidly approaching the camp of the 
pursuers. 

The portion of the Colorado along which Smith was 
then fleeing was where the river flows through the 
granite, in many places at distances of more than a 
mile below the surface. Here it was almost impossi- 
ble to descend to the stream or to reach the surface 
from the river. Smith, however, knew of trails, here 
and there, by which he could take his party to hiding- 
places either along the river banks, or in deserted cliff 
houses on the sides of the high precipices forming 
the walls of the canons. 

The Indians had been so successful in covering their 
tracks that the four cowboys to whom the tracing of 
the pursued had been left, came to Christian and his 
friends, and said: 

“ Gents, we fellows be tarnation sorry to say that 
we hev completely lost the tracks of these fellers that 
will help us to catch them. It is not that no tracks 
kin be found, but thar be too many, all a-going in 
different directions.” 

“ What had we better do? ” inquired Christian, ad- 
dressing the speaker. 

“ Well, we calculate you had better have us follow 
four different tracks for a while. Then we’ll meet, 
and each fellow will tell what he has seen. We reckon 
307 


The Jaws of Death 

in this way we can pick up the true trail. Then we 
can all follow it again.” 

“ Can we help you in this work ? ” 

“ I reckon, gents,” said the man, with a smile, “ the 
best way for you to help us would be to leave us alone. 
We can go faster and better alone than if you were 
with us. There’s a good place for a camp not far 
from here. If you’ll stay in camp for two days while 
we’re around picking up tracks no time will be lost.” 

“ What do you say, gentlemen ? ” inquired Christian 
of Mr. Francksen and the detectives. 

“ Do what the men advise,” replied Blank. 

“ Two days’ rest will put our horses in condition and 
prepare us for the long pursuit I think we have before 
us,” said Petromelinski. “ It does not look as if we 
can catch up with that fellow before he reaches the 
Colorado Desert.” 

The camp was selected. After giving their horses 
a short rest the cowboys rode off together. They soon 
separated, each following separate trails. 

The rest they got in the camp was very pleasant to 
them all. It requires the expenditure of no little physi- 
cal energy to ride horseback, going at a rapid gait, for 
ten or twelve hours a day, day after day, as they had 
been doing for the last four weeks. 

Their camp was located in a part of Nevada where 
the streams, fed mainly by springs that had their 
sources in some of the higher mountain walls, instead 
of emptying in rivers that found their way eventually 
to the ocean through the Colorado, had collected in 
308 


The Jaws of Death 

small lakes in the lowest parts of basin-shaped valleys. 
These inland bodies of water were of the same general 
type as Great Salt Lake. They are everywhere sur- 
rounded by higher land, so that when once collected in 
them the waters could escape by evaporation only. 
Since all water flowing over or through the ground 
dissolves out small quantities of saline substances, and 
the water that escapes into the air by evaporation con- 
tains none, the water of these lakes is always very 
salt. 

Their camp was located near a spring, the waters 
of which were not yet much impregnated with salty 
substances, and were therefore fairly good for drinking 
and cooking purposes. 

Like the men of the party, the boys welcomed the 
rest, for they were all very tired. As is often the case in 
healthy boys, they recovered from their tired feeling 
long before the men did, and soon found lying around 
the camp tiresome. Therefore, obtaining permission 
to take a stroll in the neighborhood, Norman and 
Fred, calling to Rob, said: 

“ We’re going for a short walk, Rob. Will you 
go with us? ” 

“ Yes, a part of the way with you,” was the reply; 
“ but I wish to visit the shores of the lake a short dis- 
tance below. Mr. Christian tells me that fine crystals 
of gypsum, common salt, and other minerals are fre- 
quently found on the shores of such lakes.” 

During this, as well as other examinations of the 
shores of existing salt lakes, as well as the beds of 
309 


The Jaws of Death 

dried-up lakes, Rob and the other boys obtained beauti- 
ful crystals of selenite, or gypsum; halite, or crystal- 
lized common salt or sodium chloride ; sylvite, or crys- 
tallized potassium chloride ; as well as crystals of mag- 
nesium chloride. 

At other places they succeeded in obtaining speci- 
mens of borax, or sodium borate, a very common min- 
eral in certain portions of the desert regions; thenar- 
dite, or sodium sulphate ; mirabilite, or Glauber’s salts, 
a hydrous sodium sulphate; and natrolite, or needle 
zeolite, a sodium and aluminum silicate. 

In addition to the above, Professor Engleman called 
their attention to the fact that chlorine, bromine, and 
iodine, combined with such metals as silver, etc., so 
that while visiting some of the mines in the locality 
they obtained specimens of cerargyrite, or silver chlo- 
rite. The last named mineral is sometimes named horn 
silver from its peculiar color. 

When Fred asked permission of Mr. Francksen to 
go with the boys, that gentleman said : 

“ Why do you wish to be walking around ? Why 
don’t you take the opportunity of resting as the others 
are doing ? ” 

“We want to get a little exercise,” was the reply. 

“Exercise!” exclaimed Mr. Francksen, laughing; 
“ I should think the way you have been riding at 
breakneck pace over the country the last week or so 
would satisfy you. I should think every joint in your 
body would feel sore. I know mine does.” 

“ But, Mr. Francksen,” replied Norman, “ it’s a 

3 IQ 


The Jaws of Death 

different kind of exercise we want. If we can get 
a chance of stretching our limbs, a short walk will 
rest us.” 

“ Very well, have your own way. But don’t go far 
from camp.” 

They had their revolvers and rifles with them when 
they started, and the question arose as to whether they 
should take them. It was a hot day, so that although 
they had gone a short distance, they very foolishly 
determined to go back to camp and leave their weapons. 

“ You see, we don’t expect to go very far,” said 
Fred, “ so I guess it’ll be safe.” 

On reaching the camp instead of going to where the 
others were still resting, they handed their weapons to 
Sam Lung, who was getting supper, and asked him to 
keep them until they returned. 

When Rob reached the neighborhood of the lake he 
began looking for crystals of gypsum and common 
table salt, while Norman and Fred went on farther, 
and were soon out of Rob’s sight by climbing over a 
low hill that formed one of the boundaries of the lake 
Rob had gone to examine. 

As Fred and Norman walked side by side they pre- 
sented a strange, indeed almost ludicrous, contrast. 
As is known to the readers of the first volume of the 
series, Fred was long and slim, and his legs and arms 
were of an unusual length. He had long, light-colored 
hair that hung far down over his shoulders. It had 
been bad enough in Philadelphia, where his visits to the 
barber were few and far between, but he had never 
3 11 


The Jaws of Death 

gone to the barber since he came West. Though far 
from beautiful, Fred’s hair was fine in texture, and 
when blown by the wind, or tossed to and fro by any 
unusual bodily motion, it had a way of flying in all 
directions, causing it to resemble an odd kind of head- 
dress. The locks falling in front every now and then 
fell over the lad’s eyes, and would have almost blinded 
him had it not been for a peculiar knack he had of skil- 
fully throwing them aside by a quick motion of his 
head. This motion served also to cause them to fly 
out as the headdress above referred to. 

But besides the above, Fred’s small steel-blue eyes 
were scarcely ever at rest. They were constantly mov- 
ing in all directions. Nor was this useless, for but very 
little passed in Fred’s neighborhood that he failed to 
observe. 

Still another thing that added to his peculiar ap- 
pearance were light-colored eyebrows and lashes, so 
nearly the color of his face that at a short distance they 
were almost invisible, and hence a casual look seemed 
to show that the lad had nothing with which to protect 
or cover his small, restless eyes. 

Though life in the open air had somewhat improved 
Norman’s general health, he still had the slim legs, 
slender arms, and thin body that had so especially 
characterized him when he first made friends with 
Rob, Happy, and Emil in Fairmount Park, as told in 
the first volume of this series. He still wore his large 
bifocal glasses, and when walking side by side with 
Fred the two presented a ludicrous contrast. 

312 


The Jaws of Death 

They were talking as they walked along, and the 
conversation naturally ran on the friends they had left 
behind. 

“ I miss Happy very much, Fred,” said Norman. 

“ So do I,” was the reply, “ but I guess he and 
the others will get back here all right. You know what 
a bright man your uncle, Professor Engleman, is. If 
other people have been able to get safely through the 
Colorado Canon I don’t see why he should not.” 

Fred, as will be remembered, was a great baseball 
enthusiast. As can readily be imagined, he had no 
opportunity whatever to indulge in this liking since 
leaving Philadelphia. After walking together for a 
few moments in silence, Fred turned to his companion 
and said : 

“ My, how I’d like to have a game of baseball ; 
wouldn’t you, Norman? ” 

“ I’m not much on baseball, Fred,” said Norman. 
“ Still I have learned to like it.” 

“ How would you like to have a game of catch 
now ? ” inquired his companion. 

“ I’d like it well enough if we only had a ball. I 
wouldn’t care to try to stop one of these pebbles,” 
pointing to some rounded agate pebbles about the size 
of baseballs that were lying on the ground near them. 

“ You don’t have to,” said Fred, as with a smile he 
drew a baseball from a pocket of his coat. “ I brought 
several balls from the East with me. f thought it 
might be possible to get into a game now and then, but 
I’ve never been able to do so. See, this ball is quite 
3 T 3 


The Jaws of Death 

new. It’s a regular Association style. Suppose we 
play at catch. I would like to see if I’ve forgotten 
how to put a curve on a ball. As you have no mitt 
I’ll not throw it too hard. Stand where you are and 
I’ll go off a little distance and give you some balls.” 

The boys greatly enjoyed tossing the ball between 
them, and became so interested in what they were 
doing that neither of them saw anything but each 
other and the ball as it was rapidly passed between 
them. Fred, looking up for a moment, however, saw 
Mashinsky coming toward him. 

“ Quick, Norman, look back of you ! ” he cried. 

Doing this, Norman saw that Mashinsky was run- 
ning rapidly toward him with a drawn stiletto in his 
hand. There was no doubt he meant mischief. He 
had recognized the lads and determined on taking re- 
venge for what Happy had made him suffer. 

“ I have you now, you young rascal,” he called to 
Fred. “ I’ll pay you for the trouble you gave me at 
the lapidary’s in Philadelphia.” 

“ What shall we do, Fred? ” cried Norman. “ Shall 
we run ? ” 

“ Why should we run?” exclaimed Fred. “We 
ought to be able to manage that fellow. We’re two 
and he’s but one.” 

“ Be careful, Fred,” cried Norman, “ he has the 
same stiletto in his hand with which I imagine he 
killed the man in Salt Lake City.” And then a happy 
idea occurred to Norman, and he cried, “ But I say, 
Fred, let that fellow have a hot ball straight at his head. 
314 



a 


But he made no allowance for the 

Page 315 


curve 
































































i 






























































































































































































' 































































































The Jaws of Death 

I know you can throw it straight and throw it hard. 
If you once strike him with an extra-hot ball it will 
put him to sleep, and we can get his stiletto and take 
him a captive to the camp. I say, would not Mr. Pe- 
tromelinski and Mr. Blank be glad to get their hands 
on him.” 

“ That’s a great idea, Norman,” said Fred, and pla- 
cing himself as if pitching in a game of baseball, he 
let his long right arm swing out, when the ball, shoot- 
ing from him almost as if shot out of a gun, flew to- 
ward Mashinsky with, however, a strong in-shoot to it. 

When Mashinsky saw what the lad was doing, he 
smiled and said to himself : 

“ If that long-legged fellow thinks he can hit me 
with that ball he is greatly mistaken. I’ll show him 
how easily I can dodge it.” 

But Mashinsky was not up in the mysteries ' of 
curved balls. Seeing it coming in a direction he cal- 
culated would bring it at least a foot to the right of 
his head, he remained still, intending as soon as the 
ball was past to rush forward and strike the larger of 
the two boys with his stiletto. 

But he made no allowance for the curve. As it 
neared him the ball suddenly took a change of direction 
and struck him squarely on the forehead between the 
eyes. It was a hot ball. Moreover, it was a heavy As- 
sociation ball, that when properly thrown is capable 
of giving a severe blow ; and on receiving it, Mashinsky 
instantly fell senseless to the ground. 

Running toward the fallen man the boys were about 
315 


The Jaws of Death 

taking the stiletto from the hand that still grasped it, 
when, looking up, they saw an Indian coming toward 
them. This so astonished them that they began to yell, 
and, probably because the throwing of the baseball had 
recalled it to them, they gave at the top of their voices 
the baseball cry they had often practised at match 
games in Fairmount Park. 

It was one of those ridiculous cries that mean very 
little but sound very terrible. In the excitement of the 
moment they began to dance, greatly to the astonish- 
ment of the Indian. The odd appearance of the lads, 
together with what seemed to the Indian a warwhoop, 
and the strange method one of them had adopted for 
knocking the man senseless, appeared to greatly 
frighten him. Possibly he thought they were some new 
kind of medicine men. Stooping down and taking the 
stiletto from the man’s hand, he turned to the lads 
and said assuringly: 

“ Indian friend of white lads. This man Indian’s 
prisoner; Indian must take him again. Look,” he 
said, pointing in the same direction as that in which 
he came, “ another Indian coming.” 

The other man coming up the two began talking in 
the Indian tongue. 

It was evident that both were no little influenced 
by the appearance of the lads, and especially by the 
strange manner in which they had knocked Mashinsky 
senseless. They appeared to be uncertain whether or 
not they should take them captives or let them go their 
way. The fact however, that they were so near the 
316 


The Jaws of Death 

camp of the pursuers, led them to the conclusion that 
it would be safer to return with Mashinsky and let the 
lads go free, especially since Smith’s orders had been 
so positive that no harm was to be done to the pur- 
suers. Turning to the boys, the Indian whom they first 
saw said : 

“ White lads can go. Better go heap quick before 
Joe Smith or any of his Mormons see you.” 

“ All right,” said Fred, “ we’ll go.” So, taking Nor- 
man by the arm, the two left at a rapid gait. 

There was great excitement in the camp on their 
return about half an hour afterward. 

“ It’s a pity, boys,” said Petromelinski, “ that the In- 
dians came up when they did. Had you been able to 
bring the man here as a prisoner it would have been 
a great feat. However, the Indians have the fellow 
back again and I imagine they are leading him a 
miserable life.” 

“ Do you think any of our scouts will meet them? ” 
inquired Christian. 

“ It is not likely,” said Petromelinski. “ These 
fellows know how to keep out of sight when they are 
watching an enemy.” 

On the return of the scouts, who had brought back 
the word that they had succeeded in picking up the 
lost trail, it was learned that they had not seen any 
traces of the Indians or of Mashinsky. 


317 


CHAPTER XXVI 


Rob's Discovery of the Smoke Signals 

They frequently met Indians of different tribes in the 
section, and the boys, especially Rob and Norman, 
had begun to take an interest in observing the habits 
and customs of these people. 

The North American Indians generally lead a no- 
madic life. Although they sometimes dwell for a short 
time in one locality, they often change their abodes and 
wander from place to place. Our friends, therefore, 
had an opportunity of observing many different tribes, 
but those most frequently seen were the Apaches and 
the Utahs, or Utes, of Utah. These latter are mem- 
bers of the Shoshone tribe, and are sometimes known 
as the Pah-Utes or the Piutes. 

One of the cowboys, a man of unusual size, who 
went by the name of Big Frank, and had taken con- 
siderable interest in the boys, especially in Rob, told 
them many stories about the Indians. 

One day, while passing through southeastern Ne- 
vada, the boys observed a number of broad stones that 
had been placed about five feet apart, in rows, on both 
sides of a trail, that had apparently been used by some 
of the Indians who had erected their wigwams, or 
tepees, in the neighborhood. 

“ Do you suppose, Rob,” inquired Norman, while 
318 


The Jaws of Death 

they stood examining them, “ that these stones just 
happened to be arranged in this way ? ” 

“ I think not,” was the reply. “ You see, they have 
been placed at equal distances apart as well as on each 
side of the trail.” 

“ I wonder why they have been put there.” 

“ I don’t know, Norman,” was the reply. “ Sup- 
pose we ask Frank to-night when supper is over.” 

“ We saw something strange to-day, Frank,” said 
Rob, as he and the other boys sat down near Frank that 
evening at the camp-fire, “ and we have come to ask 
you to tell us what it means.” 

“ I’ll tell you all I can about it whatever it is,” re- 
plied Frank, who was better educated than the average 
cowboy, and spoke fairly good English. 

Rob then told him of the curious stones they had 
seen, and wondered why they had been so arranged. 

“ They are what are called marrying stones.” 

“ I don’t understand you,” replied Norman. “ What 
are marrying stones ? ” 

“ Do you know,” inquired Big Frank, “what is 
meant by popping the question ? ” 

“ Of course I do,” replied Norman, laughing. “ It 
means asking the girl you have picked out from all 
the others you know if she cares enough for you to 
marry you. Ain’t that right, Rob ? ” he said, turning 
to his friend. 

“ Don’t ask me,” said Rob, laughing. “ Ask some 
other fellow.” 

“ Then I’ll ask you, Fred,” said Norman. 

319 


The Jaws of Death 

“ I can’t help you,” said Fred, laughing. “ I know 
nothing about such matters.” 

“ Tell us what you mean by marrying stones, 
Frank? ” said Norman. 

“ Then listen and I’ll tell you. I believe these stones 
are used by many Indian tribes, but especially by the 
Apaches. When a young Apache has made a selection 
of the girl he would like to have for a wife, he care- 
fully studies the trail she uses while picking seeds, go- 
ing for water, or attending to other work. He then 
picks out a portion of such trail at some distance from 
camp, and places a number of broad stones on each 
side, at equal distances apart, just like those you told 
me about. Choosing a time when he sees the girl 
starting off for the trail he purposely shows himself, 
and then running rapidly ahead, hides somewhere in 
the most secluded part of the trail near the marrying 
stones. 

“ The girl knows what is up. I need not say just 
how, for it is not difficult even for an Indian girl to 
know when a man likes her. He sees her coming along 
following her usual trail. The two rows of stones on 
each side of the trail say to the girl : 

“ ‘ Do you care for me ? Will you marry me ? ’ 

“ If she does not wish him for a husband she care- 
fully avoids walking between them. If she looks 
favorably on the suit she deliberately does so. As soon 
as the hidden suitor sees this he rushes from his hiding- 
place, seizes the girl, and carries her triumphantly to 
the camp.” 


320 


The Jaws of Death 

The story appeared to please Fred, who was a bash- 
ful sort of a fellow. 

“ I call that a neat plan, Rob,” he said, laughing. 
“ Indians are not so slow after all. It would save a 
fellow a deal of bother. When he wants to know if 
his girl will have him or not, he places the marrying 
stones on either side of a trail she is apt to take and 
lets them speak for him.” 

“ Yes, we understand, Fred,” said Rob in a jollying 
tone, “ the plan would suit you exactly. When you get 
back to Philadelphia you might tell your girl this story 
and see what she thinks about it.” 

“ Quit your kidding,” said Fred. “ It will be many 
years before there will be any reason for my using 
marrying stones.” 

“ You can never tell,” said Frank, who had been 
greatly enjoying the conversation between the boys, 
“ when you might want to use such a thing. I have 
not had any experience myself, for I am a bachelor, 
but I believe that when this kind of thing comes it 
comes very suddenly.” 

They were sitting by the camp-fire, and Frank ap- 
pearing to be in a mood for talking the boys persuaded 
him to tell them something of his experiences in this 
part of the country during the Indian wars. 

“ Have you ever seen an Indian fight, Frank? ” in- 
quired Rob. 

“ Many a one,” was the reply. “ I have been in some 
of them myself, but most of the fights I have seen were 
between different Indian tribes.” 

3 21 


v 


The Jaws of Death 

“ Won’t you tell us about the kind of weapons the 
Indians use? ” asked Fred. 

“ Of course, you know,” replied Frank, “ that in the 
older times the Indians used the bows and arrows for 
fighting at a distance, and the tomahawk for close 
range. Nowadays, as you have seen for yourselves, 
bows and arrows have been replaced mainly by rifles.” 

“ Don’t the Indians carry bowie knives, Frank?” 
inquired Norman. “ I think I remember reading about 
Daniel Boone, in Kentucky, and his big bowie knife. 
Was this weapon used there by Bowie for the first 
time ? ” 

“ No,” was the reply, “ it was used long before that. 
I believe as early as 1790. This knife was first used 
by Col. James Bowie, an Indian fighter of Georgia, 
who was killed in an Indian massacre in 1836, and was 
named after him. It is still used by the Indians in 
these parts of the world, but I think you will remem- 
ber that those you have seen about here carry toma- 
hawks more frequently than knives. You see,” he 
said, “ the tomahawk is handier for close fighting, 
since it can be used for striking blows, as well as ta- 
king the scalps of those they have killed.” 

“ Is it true, Frank,” inquired Rob, “ that the In- 
dians are generally good shots with the rifle ? In most 
of the books I have read they were supposed generally 
to hit the mark. I have never seen them fighting 
against one another, but I have often seen them shoot- 
ing at marks or at animals, and it has never seemed to 
me that they are very good marksmen.” 

3 22 


The Jaws of Death 

“ Right,” said Frank, laughing. “ While there are 
good marksmen among the Indians, I think that, as a 
rule, you can easily find better shots among the white 
people. You see,” he added, “ a steady hand and a 
good eye are necessary for straight shooting. If a 
fellow has neither of these, he never becomes a good 
shot. If he has them, he must shoot often if he wishes 
to become an expert. Now powder and ball, or loaded 
shells, cost money, and money is not very plentiful 
among Indians. It is nearly all the average Indian can 
do to get a gun by barter or purchase from the stores in 
the mining camps, so that there is generally but little 
left for ammunition. He shoots seldom and therefore 
is not apt to be much of a shot. 

“ Can any of you lads shoot well ? ” inquired Frank. 

“ Rob and Fred are pretty good at it,” said Norman, 
“ but one of our companions, named Happy, whom we 
hope to see soon with Professor Engleman and Colo- 
rado Bill, is a wonderful shot.” And then he told him 
some of the things Happy could do with a rifle or 
pistol. 

“ I heard tell of that chap,” said Frank, “ when I 
joined your party. I understand he is very quick and 
sure with both revolver and rifle. It’s very convenient 
to be able to shoot well when passing through this 
country. The man who is quickest and is the best 
shot has the best chances of coming out of a scrap 
alive.” 

Speaking about shooting then led the conversation 
to bows and arrows and spears. 

323 


The Jaws of Death 

“ Won’t you tell us something about the different 
things Indians use for the heads of their arrows, 
Frank? ” asked Rob. 

“ When the white people first came West the In- 
dians only used arrow heads made of chips or splinters 
of agate, or other hard stones. They often use another 
kind of material,” he added. “ I don’t know what it’s 
called, but it looks like glass. It’s not glass made by 
the white people, but a kind of stuff found in the lava 
beds.” 

“ I believe it is called volcanic glass or obsidian,” 
said Rob. “ I have picked up some good specimens 
while crossing the lava fields.” 

“ Of later years,” said Frank, “ arrow heads are 
made of many different substances. I have seen ar- 
row heads that have been chipped out of green bottle 
glass, or from fragments of the insulators used on the 
telegraph lines extending along the side of a railroad. 
When properly chipped this material makes an excel- 
lent cutting tool, equal, if not superior, to arrow heads 
made of agates. I have also seen arrow heads made 
of flat pieces of steel, the edges of which have been 
sharpened either by a file, or by rubbing against sand- 
stone.” 

“ I have not seen many clubs carried by the Indians 
here,” remarked Rob. “ The Indians carry war clubs, 
do they not? ” 

“ They do. Besides their knives, the Indian relies 
for close fighting on his potato-masher.” 

The boys laughed at this odd name for a weapon. 

324 


The Jaws of Death 

“ What do you mean by a potato-masher, Frank? ” 
inquired Norman. 

“ It’s a short, heavy club, with a piece of quartz or 
glass stuck in one end. In the hands of a strong, 
skilled man it’s a dangerous weapon, since a severe 
blow is apt to break the skull. ” 

“ What puzzles you, Blank? ” said Petromelinski to 
his friend one night when all four gentlemen were 
seated around a camp-fire talking over the occurrences 
of the day. It was plain to be seen that something was 
worrying Blank. 

“ Fve been trying to square something about our 
pursuit of Smith and his crowd, Ivan,” he said, “ but 
have been unable to do it.” 

“What is it?” replied Petromelinski. “Perhaps 
these gentlemen or I may be able to help you.” 

“ I can’t understand,” replied Blank, “ how the fel- 
lows we are chasing seem to know nearly everything 
about our movements. It almost makes me think they 
are able to telegraph to one another. Have you not 
noticed that no matter how careful we are when we 
have laid some plan to catch them they seem to have 
been perfectly posted ? ” 

“ I’ve noticed that, Blank,” was the reply. “ I have 
no doubt that they do telegraph to one another, but 
just how I cannot pretend to say. If we keep our eyes 
open,” he continued, “ we may be able to find out how 
they do it. Should we discover this it will greatly aid 


325 


The Jaws of Death 

Their camp that night was located on the side of one 
of the many mountains that cross southern Nevada. It 
commanded an extended view of several valleys as well 
as the slopes of other mountains. 

When all in the camp but himself were asleep, Rob, 
who had been very wakeful, left his blanket in order to 
put a fresh log of wood on the fire. Looking toward 
the distant mountains he saw near its summit a column 
of smoke that would have been invisible were it not for 
occasional flashes of light that were thrown on it. 
Watching it for a few moments, he saw that these 
flashes followed one another at more or less regular 
intervals. He knew from the position of the mountain 
from which the flashes of light were seen, that it was at 
some distance from the Colorado River. 

“ I think the signals have been made by some of the 
men we have been pursuing,” he said to himself. 
“ They are using them as a kind of telegraph to inform 
their party what they have learned about our move- 
ments to-day. I’ll call Frank. Indeed,” he added to 
himself, “ I’ll call all our men. I’m sure they would 
like to see what is going on.” 

All, especially Petromelinski and Blank, were greatly 
interested in what Rob pointed out to them. Not only 
did the flashes of light continue, but at last they saw on 
a mountain near the river similar flashes of light and 
smoke columns. While watching, there suddenly came 
from the answering second mountain a flash of light 
that suddenly rose in the air and left a trail after it 
until it fell into the valley below. 

3 2 6 


The Jaws of Death 

“ What do you make of that, Frank? ” inquired Pe- 
tromelinski of the guide. “ Does it not mean that the 
men are signaling to one another ? ” 

“ That’s just what they’re doing,” was the reply. “ I 
imagine the Indians who have been watching us to-day 
are sending in a report to that fellow Joe Smith over 
there by the river.” 

“ Have you any idea how they made that fireball, 
Christian?” inquired Francksen, who was not well 
posted in such things. 

“ They have evidently tied some combustible ma- 
terial, such as a piece of resinous wood, to an arrow, 
ignited it, and shot it in the air,” replied Christian. 

“ That’s all right,” exclaimed Blank, “ but what does 
that arrow mean? That’s what I’d like to know.” 

“ It might mean anything these fellows have agreed 
on,” replied Frank. “ These Indians are by no means 
lacking in intelligence. They could readily determine 
on a number of signals that could be given by so un- 
usual an object, and this especially when aided by so 
bright a fellow as Joe Smith? ” 

“ I think, Blank,” remarked Petromelinski, “ that 
if we watch we may be able to make a good guess as 
to the meaning of the flaming arrow. Yes,” he con- 
tinued in a delighted manner, pointing toward the 
mountain where Rob had first observed the flashes of 
light, “ I told you so. Look.” 

Looking in the direction pointed out by Petrome- 
linski they saw another flaming arrow from the first 
mountain rise in air and move toward their camp-fire. 
3 2 7 


The Jaws of Death 

“ I can square it now,” said Blank. “ The first ar- 
row probably meant, ‘ We understand your signals. 
Where are our pursuers ? 5 Of course, they can see the 
camp-fire, but cannot be certain it is ours. The second 
flaming arrow meant, ‘ They have gone over in that 
direction.’ ” 

They watched for a half-hour or so longer, but no 
further signals were seen from either mountain. The 
information, whatever it was, had evidently been 
passed from mountain to mountain. 

What they had seen greatly interested both of the 
detectives, who sat for a long time around the fire talk- 
ing about what they had seen. 

“ Ivan,” said Blank, “ I’d be willing to plank down 
a big sum of money to be able to read the messages 
that are almost certainly being sent between the moun- 
tains.” 

“ I have no doubt,” replied Petromelinski. “ It 
would be of so great value to us that you would be 
justified in paying well for the information. If Awake- 
in-the-Night were here I believe he would have no 
difficulty in reading those signals for us.” 

“ I’ll remember that,” was the reply. “ As soon as 
Awake-imthe-Night joins us, we’ll ask him -about 
them; that is,” added Blank, “ if he ever reaches us.” 

“ Yes, if he ever reaches us,” added Petromelinski. 
“ For my own part I think he will.” 

While in the region of the Grand Canon of the Colo- 
rado, the Christian party was again compelled to make 
328 


The Jaws of Death 

marked changes in their speed. The trails could be 
traced to the edge of the canon when they completely 
disappeared. Nor could they find any place to descend 
to the stream below, for the pursued had concealed 
their true trails and left false ones. While in all cases 
their trails were picked up again, this often did not 
happen until a day or so had passed. These delays 
greatly worried the pursuers. 

“ At this rate,” exclaimed Petromelinski, “ Awake- 
in-the-Night and Engleman will have completed their 
voyage through the canons and reach Yuma, or some 
place on the river north of Yuma, before us.” 

“ We can prevent that, Ivan,” said Blank, “ by send- 
ing one of our scouts to the nearest station along the 
railroad and send a telegram to Engleman, letting him 
know we are on our way.” 

This was done, a request being left that the message 
be repeated and delivered to a party of five white peo- 
ple and an Indian, who were coming down the canon 
in two boats. They knew that this voyage was so un- 
usual that the appearance of boats on the river from 
the north would not fail to be observed. 


i 


3 2 9 


CHAPTER XXVII 


Coming Out of the Canon. Meeting of 
the Parties 

Engleman and his companions had passed through so 
many hardships that they thoroughly appreciated the 
luxury of floating down the river in their boats, es- 
pecially since they were now carrying abundant food 
supplies for several weeks. 

We will not attempt to follow the remainder of their 
journey through what, as my readers will now under- 
stand, has not inappropriately been called the “ Jaws of 
Death,” since on so many occasions they had barely es- 
caped being swallowed up by the angry waters of the 
great river. 

The granite walls were not now so high as farther 
up the river. They might hope before long to pass out 
of the granite. This opinion was confirmed by Awake- 
in-the-Night, who said: 

“ Soon river not so angry, but heap bad in places 
yet.” 

“If we have been able to pass the many dangerous 
places, we ought to go safely down the rest of the way 
if we are careful, should we not? ” said Engleman to 
the Indian. 

“ White man right,” was the reply. “ Keep heap 
watch, go through all right.” 

330 


The Jaws of Death 

As they afterward discovered, there were still many 
dangerous places to be passed; places where they 
would have been capsized or dashed to pieces had it 
not been for skill and courage ; but the experience they 
already had had stood them in good turn for these 
emergencies. 

In order to give my readers some idea of the nature 
of the dangers through which they either had already 
passed, or through which they had still to go, I will 
quote the following from Major Powell’s description 
of how he took a number of boats over this route. He 
is describing how he once succeeded in getting his 
boats through dangerous rapids: 

“ This morning we find we can let down for three 
or four hundred yards, and it is managed in this way. 
We pass along the wall by climbing from projecting 
point to point; sometimes near the water’s edge, at other 
places fifty or sixty feet above, and hold the boat with 
a line, while two men remain aboard and prevent her 
from being dashed against the rocks and keep the line 
from getting caught on the wall. In two hours we 
have brought them all down, as far as it is possible, in 
this way. A few yards below the river strikes with 
great violence against a projecting rock, and our boats 
are pulled up in a little bay above. We must now 
manage to pull out of this and clear the point below. 
The little boat is held by the bow obliquely up the 
stream. We jump in, and pull out only a few strokes 
and sweep clear of the dangerous rock. The other 
331 


The Jaws of Death 

boats follow in the same manner and the rapid is 
passed. 

“ It is not easy to describe the labor of such naviga- 
tion. We must prevent the waves from dashing the 
boats against the cliffs. Sometimes, where the river 
is swift, we must put a bight of rope about a rock to 
prevent her being snatched from us by a wave; but 
where the plunge is too great, or the chute too swift, 
we must let her leap and catch her below, or the under- 
tow will drag her under the falling water and she 
sinks. Where we wish to run her out a little way from 
shore, through a channel between rocks, we first throw 
in little sticks of driftwood and watch their course 
to see where we must steer, so that she will pass the 
channel in safety. And so we hold, and let go, and 
pull, and lift, and ward among rocks, around rocks, 
and over rocks. 

“ And now we go on through this solemn, mys- 
terious way. The river is very deep, the canon very 
narrow, and still obstructed, so that there is no steady 
flow of the stream; but the waters whirl, and roll, and 
boil, and we are scarcely able to determine where we 
can go. Now the boat is carried to the right, perhaps 
close to the wall ; again, she is shot into the stream, and 
perhaps is dragged over to the other side where, 
caught in a whirlpool, she spins about. We can neither 
land nor run as we please. The boats are entirely un- 
manageable; no order in their running can be pre- 
served; now one, now another is ahead, each crew 
laboring for its own preservation. In such a place we 
332 


The Jaws of Death 

come to another rapid. Two of the boats run it perforce. 
One succeeds in landing, but there is no foothold by 
which to make a portage and she is pushed out again 
into the stream. The next minute a great reflex wave 
fills the open compartment; she is water-logged and 
drifts unmanageable. Breaker after breaker rolls over 
her, and one capsizes her. The men are thrown out, 
but they cling to the boat, and she drifts down some 
distance alongside of us and we are able to catch her. 
She is soon bailed out, and the men are aboard once 
more.” 

The above describes admirably some of the many 
experiences our friends had not only between the 
granite walls, but also in other portions of the stream. 
They knew by experience that the most dangerous 
parts of the stream were not only where the current 
was swift, but where a sudden change occurred in its 
direction; for, in swift waters, an abrupt bend in the 
river made it difficult to prevent the boat from being 
thrown against one of the side walls, and made it 
impossible to see the dangers ahead of them. 

It was a happy day when, for a time, they ran out 
of the granite and entered the limestone. At this point 
the river for a considerable distance was deep and 
rapid, so that they were able to pass over more than 
ten miles in less than five hours. But they are not yet 
completely out of the granite. Here and there the 
granite walls appeared where the river cuts its way 
through places where the granite is again the surface 
333 



The Jaws of Death 

rock. But the current is swift and the channel free 
from rocks, so that the run for the remainder of the 


A Scene on the Canon of the Colorado 

day adds another ten miles to their credit, and before 
long they are again passing through the limestone. 
334 


The Jaws of Death 

Though less elevated, the walls are still twenty-five 
hundred feet in height. The river is now carrying 
them along with great rapidity, and it begins to look 
as if they may not be so long behind Christian and his 
party as they feared. 

It was during this portion of their course that they 
passed through a region where they saw great monu- 
ments of hardened lava standing in the river. Al- 
though erosion had cut most of these down, some of 
the remaining shafts were over a hundred feet in 
height. 

As they passed down the river, they knew by the in- 
crease in the number of lava shafts that they were ap- 
proaching the openings through which, long ago, the 
molten rock had escaped from the interior; for the 
cooled lava columns and the cinder cones, on each side 
of the stream, had greatly increased. Suddenly they 
came to a cataract which they were able safely to pass 
by means of a portage. Here, oddly enough, they 
could see, standing on the very edge of the canon, the 
well-defined crater of an extinct volcano. 

“ Do you think the lava through which we have 
passed was thrown out from that crater, professor?” 
inquired Happy. 

“ So far as I can see, I think it was,” was the reply. 
“ For one to be certain would require an examination 
of more of the country around here. There may be 
fissures on the side of the volcano through which much 
of the lava escaped. I think it probable, however, that 
most of it came from the crater.” 

335 


The Jaws of Death 

“ It must have been a splendid sight,” exclaimed 
Happy, “ if, as I suppose was the case, the lava flowed 
into the river when it was filled with water.” 

“ There is no reason for believing the river was dry 
when the eruption occurred,” replied the professor. 
“ If you remember the basalt we saw high up on the 
opposite walls of the canon we passed a few miles back, 
you can see that the lava drove the water out of the 
channel, backed up in the stream, and finally poured 
over the wall as a fall of molten rock. 

“ I should greatly like to examine this region, 
Brown,” continued Engleman. “ As you can see, there 
has been a great fissure or fault in the strata here. 
The lava cone is situated along the line of this fault.” 

“ I don’t understand what keeps the surface water 
from flowing into these faults before it reaches the 
river, professor?” remarked Happy. 

“ Nothing prevents it from doing so,” was the reply. 
“ In point of fact, it does drain into the faults. As you 
will see, great springs flow out from this crevice and 
pour into the river a volume of water almost equal 
to that of the Little Colorado.” 

The opportunities they had for studying the pecu- 
liarities of lava flows in this portion of the stream 
meant nothing to Awake-in-the-Night, to Colorado Bill, 
or to Pete, but were not lost on Mr. Brown, Professor 
Engleman, and Happy ; but I will let what they saw be 
told by Mr. Powell, in his “ Explorations of the Colo- 
rado River.” (See Appendix, “ Lava Flow.”) 

Although the canon walls were again becoming 

336 


The Jaws of Death 

higher, the river remained comparatively free from ob- 
structions, and they were able to continue to make 
rapid progress, passing over distances of thirty to 
thirty-five miles in each day. At this rate they would 
soon be at the end of their dangerous journey. They 
had, however, a number of rapids and falls to pass, 
and had at last succeeded in passing a dangerous rapid 
when Awake-in-the-Night, who had been scanning the 
western bank of the river, suddenly motioned them 
to take the boat under a projecting portion of the 
wall, beckoning to Mr. Brown’s boat to follow him. 
At the same time he threw himself down in the bot- 
tom of the boat, motioning to his companions to do 
the same, and putting his hand to his lips as a signal 
for silence. 

“ What is the matter, Awake-in-the-Night?” in- 
quired Engleman in a low tone. 

“ Indians and white men on cliff,” he said, pointing 
to a part of the western bank of the stream at some 
distance from them. 

Engleman and Happy looked in the direction indi- 
cated. 

“ I can see nothing,” said Engleman. 

“ There they are, professor,” said Happy, point- 
ing to the place the Indian had designated. 

“ If white man look through his magic glasses he 
can see heap better,” replied the Indian. 

“ That’s so, Awake-in-the-Night,” replied Engle- 
man ; and using his glasses he remarked : “ Now I can 
count three Indians and two white men.” 

337 


w 


The Jaws of Death 

“ What is it?” inquired Colorado Bill, whose boat 
had been brought by Mr. Brown alongside of the 
other boat, under the rocks. 

There was no need of telling these men to hide. 
Both Bill and Pete, as well as Mr. Brown, suspected 
what was up when they saw the position of the boats. 

“ Look through my glasses, Bill,” said Engleman. 

“ And you take mine, Pete,” exclaimed Happy. 

“ It be some of them Mormon fellers,” exclaimed 
Pete. “ Shell I drop one of them with my rifle ? ” he 
inquired of the professor. “ I kin do it from here.” 

“ No,” was the reply; “ do not think of shooting.” 

“ Ye be right,” said Colorado Bill; and then turn- 
ing to Pete he said : “ Whatever else ye do, Pete, 
don’t shoot. It be true we kin drop ’em from this 
place, but ef ye do a little thinkin’ ye kin see the posi- 
tion we be in with a crowd of fellers, five or six times 
ez many ez we be, creepin’ along the edge of the river 
and poppin’ at us when they could do so without giv- 
ing us our turn. Thar wouldn’t be much left of us 
afore long.” 

“ Heap right, Bill,” said Awake-in-the-Night. “ No 
shoot now. Soon we join our friends above and put 
up big fight. Maybe too, we get other white men fur- 
ther down the river to help.” 

“ I reckon ye be right, Bill,” said Pete ; “ but when 
thet air fight do come I want ye to count me in, es- 
pecially when thet feller Joe Smith be around.” 

“ Do you think they have seen us, Awake-in-the- 
Night?” inquired Engleman. 

338 


The Jaws of Death 

“ Awake-in-the-Night no tell, but he has watched 
these men long time. Thinks they have not seen us.” 

“ I reckon,” said Colorado Bill, especially addressing 
Professor Engleman, “ we’d better not think of go- 
ing on now, but wait here easy like until they go 
away.” 

“ Colorado Bill right,” said the Indian. “ Wait 
here.” 

It was late in the afternoon, about the time when 
they would generally start their camp-fire for the 
cooking of supper. 

“ Ef course, gents,” said Colorado Bill, “ ye don’t 
hev to be told thet ye’ll eat a cold supper to-night, ez 
it would be dangerous to start a fire with those fellers 
around.” 

This was so evident that the professor simply 
nodded his head to indicate that he agreed with Bill. 

When supper was over, Awake-in-the-Night said to 
Engleman : 

“ While Joe Smith near the side of the river we 
better travel at night and rest during day. You think 
so ? ” he inquired, turning to his companions. 

“ What is your opinion?” asked Engleman, turn- 
ing to Bill and Pete. 

“ It don’t take no time to answer that air question,” 
said Bill. “ Ef course we travel by night. I reckon 
thar be not a-many falls or rapids now. Be thar?” 
he said, turning to the Indian. 

“ Not many,” was the reply. 

They found but little difficulty in traveling by night ; 

339 


The Jaws of Death 

for before long they passed out of the canon and had 
reached a comparatively level land of the lower plains. 
They were now in a valley with low mountains to be 
seen in the distance. At last, after all their many dan- 
gers, they were still living, although they had passed 
through the “ Jaws of Death.” 

“ Can we travel now by daylight, Awake-in-the- 
Night? ” inquired Happy. 

“Not now,” was the reply; “but soon. Small 
canons below. When we pass them can go again in 
daytime without being seen.” 

Some days afterward, while passing one of the 
larger towns on the Lower Colorado, north of Yuma, 
they saw a man on a horse rapidly approaching the 
western bank. He waved a piece of paper in his hand, 
and was evidently trying to attract their attention. 
Awake-in-the-Night was the first to see him, and 
called the attention of those in his boat to him. 

“ Professor,” said Happy, who had been looking at 
the man, “ I think the man has a telegram in his hand. 
Yes,” he added, after looking at him through his 
glasses, “ it is a telegram.” 

They pulled the boat to the shore, when the man ap- 
proached and said: 

“Any of you named Prof. Joseph Engleman?” 

“ That’s my name,” said the professor. 

“ Then I have a telegram for you,” replied the man, 
but before the professor had time to open it, he added : 
“We people down here heard that two boats started 
down the Colorado from where the Green and the 
340 


The Jaws of Death 

Grand meet. None of us believed you would get 
through alive. There’s been great talk of it all along 
the river. Glad to see you here all right; but I won’t 
say anything more,” he added, “ until you read that 
telegram.” 

“ It is from Christian’s party,” said Engleman, read- 
ing it, “ signed by Blank. Listen to this,” he said, 
turning to Mr. Brown. “ Like ourselves, Christian 
and his party have been detained by various causes. 
They have been fearing we would get ahead of them 
just as we feared they would leave us far behind.” He 
then read a short telegram from Blank, reciting the 
principal news, stating how Smith had led them a far 
from straight chase; that they were now going down 
the western bank of the Colorado; and that if they did 
not meet them before the telegram was received they 
could see them by going straight on to Yuma. 

“ Then,” said Engleman, “ that is what we will do. 
We go directly to Yuma and await our friends. What 
do I owe you for bringing me this telegram? ” Engle- 
man inquired of the man who brought it. 

“ If you will look at that telegram you will find it 
marked paid,” replied the man. 

“ I noticed that,” replied Engleman ; “ but what I 
mean is what shall I give you for the trouble of coming 
here from the telegraph office? ” 

“ I reckon, stranger, that I’ll not charge you for 
that. We people down the river know that you are 
after that fellow Joe Smith and his band of Indian cut- 
throats, to set free two white men they have been hold- 
341 


The Jaws of Death 

ing as prisoners. I want to do what I can to help you 
in this fight and, onless I am very wrong, you will find 
a lot of other fellows who want to do the same thing.” 

“ Thank you very much for your kindness,” said 
Engleman. 

“ I reckon,” said the man, “ that those who sent this 
message will be following you before long. If you 
have any message you can give me I’ll be glad to see 
that they get it.” 

“ I will leave a letter,” replied Engleman, “ that I 
will ask you to give them when they pass if you expect 
to remain here, or to leave it with some one to give 
to them.” 

“ I shall be around these diggings for some time,” 
said the man. 

“ I have directed this letter to Mr. John Christian,” 
said Engleman. “ If he is not with them give it to any 
of his party. You can also tell them that we escaped 
all the dangers of our passage through the canon, and 
have gone direct to Yuma, where we will wait for 
them.” 


342 


CHAPTER XXVIII 


Again in the Colorado Desert 

While Joseph Smith and his band continued along 
the western banks of the Colorado, the pursuers had no 
difficulty in following them. The trouble began when, 
as soon as reaching the region where the river leaves 
the plateau and flows through the lower country, 
Smith again turned to the southwest, thus taking a di- 
rect route to the northeastern part of the Colorado 
Desert. 

Now that the pursuers had discovered the method 
of telegraphing by smoke and fire signals, they watched 
for their repetition. Nor did they watch in vain. On 
several nights they again observed these signals, but at 
the best they could only guess at their meaning. 

On the night when Smith’s party had reached the 
southern edge of the plateau, and was about descend- 
ing into the lower lands, where the river flows through 
a broad valley, they were encamped on the slope of a 
mountain where they had an uninterrupted view to 
the west and south. A full moon was about setting. 
Big Frank, who was with them, remarked: 

“ When that moon goes down and the night grows 
dark, I think we will see signals sent between Smith’s 
main camp and the camps of his scouts.” 

“ What camps are you speaking about, Frank? ” 

343 


The Jaws of Death 

“ Those three camp-fires/’ he replied, pointing suc- 
cessively to the west, the southwest, and the south. 
These places were situated on the slopes of low moun- 
tains. 

As they sat patiently watching the distant camp-fires, 
flashes of light were suddenly seen illumining a smoke 
column that was rising from the western fire. The 
flashes continued for about a minute when they were 
answered by flashes from the fire on the southwest, and 
these were eventually answered by the fire on the 
south. The scouts were evidently sending in their 
reports to the main camp for the day. 

“ I think,” said Frank, “ the scouts will now ask 
what direction they shall take.” 

“ What makes you think they will change their di- 
rection, Frank?” inquired Christian. 

“ Because they are now near where the Colorado 
enters the level country. If, as you believe, they are 
making for the Colorado Desert, they will probably 
strike across the country here toward the southwest.” 

At this moment a flaming arrow, shot almost ver- 
tically into the air from the camp on the west, carried 
a trail of light after it and then fell to the ground. 

It was almost immediately followed by a similar 
arrow from the camp on the southwest, also shot up- 
ward. 

“ I think,” said Frank, “ an answer will now come 
from the main camp on the south. If I have guessed 
right this arrow will point out the direction that all 
parties are to take.” 


344 


The Jaws of Death 

The words had hardly died on his lips when an ar- 
row, evidently shot from a strong bow, carried a trail 
of fire after it as it rapidly moved high in the air 
toward the southwest. 

“ Ivan,” said Blank to his friend, “ I reckon Frank 
has squared it up all right.” 

“ I believe he has,” replied Petromelinski ; “ and 
very cleverly too.” 

“ If your interpretation of the signals is correct, 
Frank,” remarked Christian, " do you think they 
will wait until to-morrow before leaving this part of 
the country? ” 

“ It is hard to say,” was the reply; “ but if you ask 
me to guess, I will guess they are more than likely to 
break camp to-night. However,” he added, “ we will 
soon be able to make a good guess as to whether they 
do this or not.” 

“ How do you figure that out?” inquired Blank, 
ready to learn anything that might be of use to him 
in future work. 

“ Because,” was the reply, “ if they leave, their 
camp-fires will die out.” 

“ Of course the fires will die out,” said Blank, more 
to himself than to Frank. “ I might have thought of 
that.? 

An hour afterward the fires gradually dimmed and 
at last entirely disappeared. It was evident that they 
had been abandoned. 

By the early morning light they could, by the aid of 
their glasses, see a body of men riding rapidly over 
345 


The Jaws of Death 

the lowlands toward the northwest, though they had 
difficulty in making out who they were. 

“ They are too few to be Smith and his band,” re- 
marked Christian. “ They may, however, be one of 
the bands of scouts. Take my glass, Frank, and tell 
me what you think.” 

Frank almost instantly returned the glass to Chris- 
tian, saying: 

“ I think this is one of Smith’s scouting parties. 
They appear to be going pretty quickly, so I imagine 
the other fellows are far ahead of them.” 

“ We must make up our minds now what to do, gen- 
tlemen,” said Christian. “ Shall we follow them, or 
shall we go straight to Yuma and wait there for En- 
gleman and his party? What do you think? ” he said, 
turning to the detectives. 

“ I say make straight for Yuma,” said Blank. 
“ How is that, Ivan? ” 

“ The answer is easy, Blank,” was the reply. “ Just 
now we badly need two things. The first is more 
men, and the second is a guide who knows Smith’s 
party and their ways; this will be Awake-in-the-Night. 
He probably knows most of Smith’s hiding-places in 
the desert and can be of great help to us.” 

“ It may be possible, gentlemen,” said Mr. Franck- 
sen, “ that Engleman and his party have succeeded in 
finding their way and have already passed on before 
us. Although we had a start on these people, and 
could easily have gone on before them; yet, since we 
were delayed considerably by Smith’s change of route 
346 


The Jaws of Death 

and his many disappearances in the canon, they may be 
ahead of us.” 

“ Francksen reasons correctly,” said Christian. 
“ Well, we are all agreed to make straight for Yuma.” 

They descended from the plateau and were soon 
traveling along the western bank of the river. It was 
while they were following this route that they saw a 
man riding rapidly toward them. It was the mes- 
senger who had delivered their telegram to Engleman. 

“ Are you the gentlemen who sent a telegram to 
Professor Engleman ? ” he inquired. 

" We are,” replied Christian. 

“ Which of you is Mr. Christian ? ” 

On being informed, the messenger handed Christian 
a letter. It was as follows : 

“ ‘ My Dear Christian : Though directed to you, 
this letter is intended for all. I know you will all be 
pleased to learn that Colorado Bill succeeded in libera- 
ting Happy and joined us after you had got a start of 
four days on us.’ ” 

“ Hurrah for Happy! ” shouted Rob. “ We will see 
him again.” 

The shout that accompanied Rob’s cheer showed 
how popular the lad was. 

“ ‘ While we were puzzling,’ ” continued Christian, 
“ ‘ how we could catch up with you, Awake-in-the- 
Night said that if we were willing to take the risk of 
passing through the Colorado Canon, which he called 
the “ Jaws of Death,” he thought he could bring us out 
in the low course of the river in time to meet you.’ ” 
347 


The Jaws of Death 

“ Now think of that, Ivan,” said Blank. “ We will 
find that Indian of great help when we reach the des- 
ert. He seems to know all the haunts of Smith and 
his band.” 

“ He will indeed be of great help,” was the reply. 
“ You know Awake-in-the-Night formed one of his 
band.” 

“ ‘ A Mr. Brown, of Utah,’ ” continued Christian, 
“ 4 assured us that Awake-in-the-Night was probably 
more familiar with this dangerous route than any man 
living. The same gentleman offered us the use of two 
boats he had built for the purpose of exploring the 
great canons himself. He was willing to risk the 
boats and his life to go with us. 

“ ‘ When we next meet, which I trust will now be 
soon, we will give you details of the hairbreadth es- 
capes we have had, and how it is that we have safely 
passed through those “ Jaws of Death ” that so seldom 
let anything pass them alive. 

“ ‘ The messenger who hands you this letter has de- 
livered to us the telegram you sent us some days ago. 
He advises us to go straight on to Yuma. 

“ ‘ We have concluded that it will be wisest to do 
this and wait there for you. The messenger assures 
us that considerable excitement exists all along the 
river about what Smith has been doing. He believes 
there will be no difficulty in raising a band of deter- 
mined men to aid us in giving him his proper punish- 
ment.’ ” 

Encouraged as they had been by the news of their 
348 


The Jaws of Death 

friends, they continued on their way down the river 
and were soon in Yuma. 

There were great rejoicings when the two parties 
met. It was near sunset when Christian’s party rode 
into Yuma. One might have thought, from the way 
the people turned out to meet them, that they were 
warriors returning from a successful battle; for they 
were received with hurrahs and many other evidences 
of rejoicing. Some of the men, pressing forward to 
take them by the hand, offered help if needed against 
Smith. The fact that white men had been treated 
so brutally by the hated Mormons made all eager to 
do what they could to prevent the recurrence of such 
an outrage. 

Appreciating the advantage of striking while the 
iron was hot, Petromelinski and Blank remained be- 
hind the others, talking with the men and arranging 
a definite program, while Christian, Francksen, and 
the boys hurried forward to the little hotel where 
Engleman and his companions had stopped. 

Hurrying forward, and throwing himself on his 
friend, Rob cried: 

“ Hello, Hap, old fellow ; it’s great to see you again ! 
I suppose it was the Indians who took you? What 
did they want with you, and how did Bill get you? Tell 
me all about it.” 

“ Please tell us quickly, Happy,” said Norman. 

“ The medicine men of the Pueblo Indians made me 
a prisoner. They wished to make me a shaman or 
349 


The Jaws of Death 

medicine man,” replied Happy. “ I’m sure I’m very 
glad to see you all. Hello, Fred! Been playing base- 
ball lately?” 

“ I should think he had,” remarked Norman, laugh- 
ing. “ Happy, let me tell you how Fred knocked down 
Mashinsky with a baseball.” 

“Mashinsky!” cried Happy. “ Sit down and tell 
me what you have been doing while I was away.” 

“ Now tell me true, Happy,” said Rob, as soon as 
they were seated, “ have you had any good luck 
lately? ” 

“ Good luck ; why, of course I have,” said Happy. 
“ Ain’t I here alive ? When I have told you even a 
little of what we have passed through you won’t ask 
me whether I have had good luck. It’s been one 
continuous streak of good luck from the time we left, 
way up to the north where the Green and the Grand 
flow into the Colorado, to the time we arrived here.” 

“ I’m only jollying you, Hap,” said Rob. 

“ It’s like salve for sore eyes to see you again, John,” 
said Engleman, grasping Christian by the hand. 
“ There have been many times since we parted when I 
never expected to meet you again, and I do not doubt 
but that you can say the same.” 

“ I can, indeed, Joe,” replied Christian. 

“ A great many things have happened since we saw 
each other last, John. There is so much to be done be- 
fore our friends, the Gordons, are' liberated, that we 
had better sit down and talk it over. But where are 
Blank and Petromelinski ? ” 

350 


The Jaws of Death 

“ They remained outside talking to the men. They 
will be here shortly.” 

But we will not attempt any further to relate the 
conversation that took place between the different 
members of the two parties. They kept talking not 
only late into that night, but also took much of the 
time of the next day when they started on their jour- 
ney over the Colorado Desert. Indeed, for many 
days afterward some additional incidents that had 
been temporarily forgotten were described at length. 

Instead of joining Engleman and his party shortly, 
as Christian thought they would, it was several hours 
before Petromelinski and Blank came into the hotel 
where they all stopped for the night. 

“ You must excuse us, professor,” said Mr. Blank, 
“ for not coming to talk with you before this. You 
may think we are hard-hearted fellows who care very 
little for meeting you again, but we thought it wise to 
make arrangements with the men who came to meet 
us while they were enthusiastic to organize a band to 
help us in releasing the Gordons and punishing Smith. 
But we’re glad to see you all right,” he said, shaking 
them all by the hand. “And I’m especially glad to 
see you, my lad,” he said to Happy; “for there is 
much to be done and I’m counting on you for help.” 

“ What arrangements have you made, Blank ? ” in- 
quired Engleman. 

“ Tell them, Ivan,” said Blank. 

Petromelinski explained that a band of twenty men 
351 


The Jaws of Death 

had been organized to leave for the Colorado Desert 
They were to assemble at a certain point, a few days’ 
journey from the other side of the Colorado, at one 
of the irrigation towns. 

“ Is there no danger of our missing them ? ” inquired 
Christian. 

“ No; they have left one of their number to show us 
the way,” replied Petromelinski. 

“ Have all the men left for the desert?” inquired 
Christian. 

“ Only ten of them,” was the reply. “ They expect 
to pick up the others at some of the irrigation towns 
further on. Blank and I thought,” he continued, “ that 
we had better make arrangements for these things 
now when every one seemed willing to help.” 

“ Don’t say another word about it, my dear sir,” re- 
plied Engleman. “ You have acted very sensibly. 
What you have done cannot fail to be of great help in 
carrying out what nearly all of us have come so far 
to accomplish. We from the East, and you all the way 
from Russia.” 

All were so anxious to begin work that they left 
Yuma that afternoon and crossed the Colorado River. 
Although they knew that it would be impossible to go 
very far, they concluded it would be wise to take this 
late start, especially since when Petromelinski and 
Blank commenced questioning Awake-in-the-Night 
about the smoke and fire signals, the Indian said : 

“ Camp to-night on side of mountain looking over 
352 


The Jaws of Death 

desert. Maybe Awake-in-the-Night read smoke signals 
for you.” 

“ But,” objected Petromelinski, “ these fellows are 
far ahead of us. We cannot possibly see their smoke 
signals from here.” 

“ Smith heap ahead,” replied the Indian, “ but leave 
Indians to tell him when you start.” 

“ Do you believe the fellows are at it yet, Ivan ? ” 
inquired Blank, who had heard the conversation. 

“ Awake-in-the-Night seems to think so,” was the 
reply. 

“ Joe Smith heap good leader,” said the Indian. 
“ Always leaves some of his Indians to watch and tell 
him when you go and how many.” 

When Rob and the others told Happy about the 
smoke signals he was very much interested. 

“ Thanks to Bill there,” he said, for Bill as well as 
Awake-in-the-Night had joined the boys, “ I know 
much about smoke signals. Tell the boys about these 
signals, Bill.” 

“ You tell them, Hap,” was the reply. “ I reckon ye 
know ez much about them ez I do.” 

Happy then told them how smoke signals could be 
used by day and smoke and flashes of fire by night. 
He added what Frank had failed to speak of; i. e., 
that for day-signaling different kinds of wood were 
sometimes used, the lighter and drier woods making a 
lighter-colored smoke than dense and resinous woods. 
He also explained how the flashes of light were ob- 
tained by holding any opaque object over the flames, 
x 353 


The Jaws of Death 

thus cutting it off momentarily, and then by suddenly 
removing it, permit the light to fall on the smoke 
column. 

Awake-in-the-Night was evidently surprised at the 
extent of the lad’s knowledge of such things. 

“ Smile-on-his-Face heap bright. Make big chief. 
Awake-in-the-Night tell you soon what the smoke and 
fire signals made by Smith’s Indians mean.” 

They purposely selected a site for their camp on the 
side of a mountain looking down on the great depres- 
sion below them. From here they saw on a distant 
mountain to the north a repetition of the smoke and 
fire signals. Before Awake-in-the-Night began to ex- 
plain them, he remarked : 

“ When Indians learn that Awake-in-the-Night is 
leading white men and telling them what the smoke 
signals mean they will try to kill him, but Awake-in- 
the-Night friend of white men. Will do this for 
them.” 

He then began explaining in detail the signals. 
They were all interested in the revelation, but none so 
much so as the detectives, who again and again ex- 
pressed their surprise at the ingenuity and completeness 
of the signals. This surprise, however, was somewhat 
decreased when Awake-in-the-Night assured them that 
many of these signals had been thought out by Joseph 
Smith. 

From these signals Awake-in-the-Night informed 
them that Smith was on his way to a gold mine on a 
mesa several days to the northwest. 

354 


The Jaws of Death 

“ Do you know where that mesa is, Awake-in-the- 
Night?” inquired Blank. 

“ Awake-in-the-Night knows that mesa;” and the 
Indian turned to Rob and Happy and said : “ White 
lads too know that mesa. When Smile-on-his-Face 
was sick Awake-in-the-Night brought him heap good 
gold minerals.” 

“ I remember,” replied Happy. “ I thought perhaps 
you got it from that place. I remember that afterward 
you brought me a bunch of wild dates and some more 
gold ore. I afterward dreamed that I saw them on the 
side of a mesa that Rob had dreamed about. We have 
always called this the ‘ Mesa of Rob’s Dream.’ I 
remember too, that Bill, Rob, and I saw that same mesa 
and the stream of water flowing down an arroya and 
disappearing in a cavern at the foot. Is that the mesa 
you are talking about? ” 

“ It is there,” replied Awake-in-the-Night, “ that Joe 
Smith is taking his two white prisoners. Awake-in- 
the-Night will show you the way.” 


355 


CHAPTER XXIX 


The Mesa of Rob's Dream Revisited. Conclusion 

It is unnecessary to point out the peculiarities of the 
country through which they passed while traveling 
across the desert to the mesa about which Rob had 
dreamed, and that he, Happy, and Colorado Bill had 
afterward actually seen. These the reader will find 
fully described in the second volume of the series, “ The 
Land of Drought.” 

At one of the many settlements of the irrigated dis- 
tricts, where the desert had been turned into verdant 
fields by the life-giving waters, they met the ten men 
who had gone before them. These men had succeeded 
in enrolling ten other men, so that the volunteers now 
marching with them reached thirty. A general feeling 
of indignation prevailed when the conduct of Smith 
and his party had been learned, so that there had been 
no difficulty in obtaining volunteers. This feeling 
was expressed in more vigorous than choice English 
by one of the volunteers, as follows : 

“ I tell ye, gents, this here yanking white men from 
their friends and makin’ 'em work for northin' hez 
got to stop, and I fer one am goin’ to try to stop it 
right now.” 

Blank and Petromelinski were delighted at the in- 
crease in the number of their fighting men. It was 

356 


The Jaws of Death 

evident, however, that Blank was worrying about 
something. 

“What’s the matter, Blank?” inquired Petrome- 
linski. " You ought to feel good with so many out- 
side men ready to help us.” 

“ I am not denying what you say, Ivan,” replied 
Blank. “ But I don’t like the way Smith is kept in- 
formed of all our movements. What with his smoke 
and fire signals, he knows at once any new move we 
make. I imagine he either knows now, or will very 
shortly, that we are leaving here with a force of de- 
termined men. Don’t you suppose he is bright enough 
to see that there is so angry a feeling against him and 
his men in the irrigation settlements, as well as in the 
mining districts, that might make it easy to raise an 
army of several hundred men to wipe him and his 
outlaws off the face of the earth ? ” 

“ I do not for a moment doubt, Blank,” was the 
reply, “ that Smith either knows all these things al- 
ready or will soon know them. But what then ? ” he 
continued. 

“ What then? ” replied Blank. “ I’ll tell you what 
then, Ivan. If Smith knows these things do you for 
a moment suppose he will be willing to have a square 
fight with us ? I fear he will cut and run ; that when we 
reach the mesa we will find that he is again off across 
the country.” 

“ I don’t know about his being willing to fight with 
us, but if he does cut and run where do you think he 
will go?” 


357 . 


The Jaws of Death 

“ To the border of the river near the deeper canons 
of the Colorado, or its tributaries, where he has so 
many hiding-places. If he once gets there he will 
almost certainly escape.” 

“ I have been thinking the same thing, Blank? ” said 
Petromelinski. 

“ Have you planned how we might prevent him 
from fooling us again ? ” inquired Blank. 

“ I have,” was the reply. “ Listen. My plan is to 
take twenty of the new men; that in going toward 
the mesa we so shape our route that Smith could not 
reach the canons of the Colorado without passing us. 
If we reach the mesa without meeting him we will 
divide and as nearly as possible surround it. What do 
you think of this plan? ” 

“ It’s well enough, only I imagine the mesa is too big 
for your small band to do much toward surrounding 
it.” 

“ Right you are. It is too big for our small force, 
but we will ask Awake-in-the-Night to tell us the 
place from which Smith would most likely attempt 
to make his escape. But let us talk this matter over 
with our volunteers.” 

This conversation resulted in twenty of the men, 
accompanied by Blank and Petromelinski, marching 
as a separate company toward the mesa, but from a 
route nearer to the northeast ; while Engleman and his 
party, under the guidance of Awake-in-the-Night, 
marched to the same point but from the southwest. 

When they reached the neighborhood of the mesa, 

358 


The Jaws of Death 

Engleman stopped his party at a place where they 
could not be seen from the top of the mesa. Here, 
however, they could see the arroya, and the stream of 
water flowing down and disappearing in an opening 
below. ? 

“ Is that the arroya, Awake-in-the-Night,” inquired 
Happy of the Indian, “ where the date palms grow 
from which you picked the bunch of dates you brought 
me when I was sick in camp? Was it not from near 
the top of the arroya I dreamed about you got the 
beautiful specimens of gold ore you brought me at the 
same time ? ” 

“ Smile-on-his-Face has heap good memory,” said 
A wake-in- the-Night, smiling. 

“ Smith and his men,” said Engleman, “ will of 
course know we are marching against him, and will 
probably be waiting for us. It will be dangerous to 
attempt to reach the mesa up the arroya if they are 
watching. Let us consult Awake-in-the-Night as to 
the best way of taking them by surprise if possible.” 
And then turning to the Indian he inquired : “ Is there 
any other way of reaching the top of the mesa than 
climbing up that arroya, Awake-in-the-Night?” 

“ Two other ways to top,” was the reply. “ Awake- 
in-the-Night go ahead. Wait here for him. He will 
try to get to the top without being seen,” and with that 
he disappeared rapidly in the direction of the foot of 
the arroya where the water disappeared in the earth. 

The Indian had not gone a hundred yards from 
them when Happy, seeing something that had not 
359 


The Jaws of Death 

been seen by most of the others, ran after him, closely 
followed by Colorado Bill and Pete. When they 
reached Happy and Awake-in-the-Night they saw one 
of Smith’s Indian scouts glaring angrily at Awake- 
in-the-Night, and saying: 

“ Awake-in-the-Night heap traitor. Bring white 
men here and tell them about smoke signals. Indian 
kill Awake-in-the-Night.” 

With that the Indian drew his revolver, but before 
he could shoot Happy had sent a ball from his revolver 
crashing through the man’s hand. The revolver 
dropped from his hand, and Awake-in-the-Night 
killed him almost immediately afterward, tearing off 
his scalp and hanging it in his belt. 

Colorado Bill was delighted that Pete had an op- 
portunity of seeing how quick the lad was on the 
shoot. 

“ How is that for a quick shot, Pete ? ” he cried. 

“ It war a pretty shot, Bill,” replied Pete. “ But 
why,” he continued, turning to Happy, “ didn’t ye kill 
the chap yerself ? ” 

“ It seems such an awful thing to kill a man,” said 
Happy, and then he said, although with no spirit of 
braggadocia, “ I know I can land a bullet where I 
want to. I was certain I could keep him from shooting 
Awake-in-the-Night, so I made him drop his gun.” 

“ Ye must not do thet^ again, Hap,” said Colorado 
Bill gravely. “ In this here fight we are goin’ to hev 
we must either kill or be killed.” 

“ All right, Bill,” said Happy, “ I’ll remember.” 

36° 


The Jaws of Death 

When Awake-in-the-Night had scalped the Indian, 
lie turned to Happy and said : 

“ Smile-on-his-Face quick with gun. Again saves 
life of Awake-in-the-Night. Awake-in-the-Night now 
very much heap his friend.” 

Turning to the party, Awake-in-the-Night said: 

“ Indian go to mesa and see what Smith is doing. 
Back soon. Wait for him.” / 

“ I reckon we hed better let him hev his way,” said 
Bill, so they returned to where the others were hiding. 

Happy remained for a few moments looking at 
Awake-in-the-Night after Bill and Pete had left him. 

“ Look where Awake-in-the-Night is going, Bill,” he 
cried. 

Bill and Pete did this, and saw that instead of climb- 
ing up the sides of the arroya the Indian disappeared in 
the opening down which the water poured. 

“ Whar do you think he be goin’, Hap ? ” inquired 
Bill, as they hurriedly returned to the rest of the 
party, for they knew that the shooting would probably 
attract their enemy to the edge of the mesa. 

“ I imagine,” said Happy, after explaining to En- 
gleman and Christian what they had seen, “ there is 
a cave at the foot of the arroya.” 

“ That Js very probable,” replied the professor. 
“ The mesalooks as if it consisted entirely of limestone. 
The small stream we see flowing down the arroya is 
probably only a part of the rain that falls on the mesa. 
The remainder, disappearing in an opening or sink- 
hole at a fault or break in the limestone strata, has 
361 


The Jaws of Death 

probably eaten out a grotto. It is probably through 
this that Awake-in-the-Night knows how to reach the 
top of the mesa unobserved. However, there is noth- 
ing for us to do but to wait until he returns. ,, 

Nearly an hour passed before Awake-in-the-Night 
returned. They noticed that an additional Indian scalp 
was hanging at his belt by the side of the one they 
had seen him take. 

“ Another Indian try to kill Awake-in-the-Night. 
Not quick enough. Got his scalp,” pointing to the 
bloody trophy. 

“What news do you bring, Awake-in-the-Night?” 
asked Christian. “ Are the fellows up there ready 
to put up a big fight ? ” 

“ Joe Smith and his men heap afraid,” replied 
Awake-in-the-Night with contempt. “ His scouts say 
to him, ‘ Many men after you. Run away, heap quick.’ 
So Joe Smith take his prisoners and run.” 

“ Is there any other place by which he can descend 
from the mesa ? ” they inquired. 

“ Another place on other side,” replied the Indian. 

“ Then he will escape us,” said Engleman. “ I hope 
the other party will be able to check him.” 

“Joe Smith no get away,” replied Awake-in-the- 
Night. “ Indian told other party where to find only 
place he could come down from the mesa. Come with 
me, maybe we can help fight.” 

It was not up the arroya, but into the opening 
into which the waters disappeared, that the Indian led 
them. Here, as Engleman had expected, was a large 
362 


The Jaws of Death 

limestone grotto, from the high arched roof of which 
stalactites had joined stalagmites, and formed lime- 
stone pillars that were holding up the overhanging 
mass. The path led rapidly upward. After following 
it for about a quarter of a mile, they came out at the 
surface at a short distance from the edge of the mesa. 

Within a stone’s throw from where they emerged 
were the ruins of what had evidently once been a large 
village. With the exception of a few buildings, how- 
ever, it was now a mass of ruins. So completely had 
the buildings crumbled that it was difficult to see what 
had been their original forms. A few houses, however, 
were still standing. Motioning to his companions to 
hide themselves, Awake-in-the-Night, falling on the 
ground, stealthily approached the buildings and dis- 
appeared. In a few moments he returned and said : 

“ Joseph Smith heap frightened. Has run away 
with all his men.” 

“ He will get off unless we follow quickly,” said 
Engleman ; “ and he will take our friends along with 
him as captives.” 

Awake-in-the-Night smiled and said : 

“ Awake-in-the-Night thinks they will not get away. 
Follow me,” and he started off on a run toward the 
opposite side of the mesa. 

Rapidly following their guide for a few miles, they 
came to a place where it was possible, by following a 
zigzag path, to descend to the plain below. Evidently 
some of Smith’s men had reached the plain and had 
363 


The Jaws of Death 

been met by the volunteers, for sounds of firing were 
heard. 

While hesitating as to whether it would be advisable 
to leave the mesa before looking for their friends, they 
were surprised to see Smith, surrounded by a small 
band of his Indians and accompanied by the two Gor- 
dons, approaching. He had just learned that the volun- 
teers with Petromelinski and Blank had defeated his 
men and made prisoners of all who remained alive. 
Seeing he was defeated, Smith turned savagely, and 
spurring his horse to where the Gordons were stand- 
ing, struck the elder man a brutal blow on the head 
with the muzzle of his revolver. The man sank to 
the ground with a groan and lay as if dead. 

“ So that’s the kind of dirty, cowardly scoundrel ye 
be,” said Pete, who had hastened after Smith in a vain 
endeavor to reach him before he struck Gordon. 
“ You’re the coward wot strikes an old, unarmed man. 
Ye be the feller wot takes white men prisoners and 
locks them up in little houses near the tops of high 
walls. Now, Joseph Smith, listen to me; I’m Pete, 
the cowboy, wot came out with this other gent,” he 
said, nodding to the younger Gordon. “ Now,” he said, 
covering Smith with his revolver, “ hold yer hands up. 
I’ve got the drop on ye. I reckon ye kin wait a few 
minutes fer what I’ve got to say. It won’t take long. 
Even ef I’d let ye off, ye never could pass across the 
desert, fer thar be too many men ready to finish ye. 
Now Pete wants to give ye time to think, so here goes 
a ball fer yer arm, and here’s another fer a leg; and 

364 


The Jaws of Death 

now thet ye know who it be thet’s after ye I’ll finish ye 
up,” saying which he sent a ball through the man’s 
heart. 

The fight was over. Smith’s companions fled when 
they saw their leader killed. The younger Gordon, 1 ' 
as well as Christian and Engleman, had rushed to 
where his father was lying on the ground. 

Robert, one of the first to reach the group, cried : 

“ Father, I am your son Robert! Your friend, Pro- 
fessor Engleman, together with Mr. Christian and 
many others, have come West because we heard that 
two white men had been taken prisoners by the Mor- 
mons and Indians, and we thought they might be you 
and grandfather.” 

“My dear boy!” cried the father, embracing him. 

“ How you have grown ! This is a happy and at the 
same time a very unhappy day. I fear your grand- 
father has been killed by the cowardly brute who has 
just received his just punishment.” 

“ On the contrary,” said Mr. Christian, who was 
kneeling on the ground feeling the man’s pulse, “ I 
am glad to say that your father is far from dead. I 
have some acquaintance with medicine. Unless his 
skull is broken, or there is some internal injury, I think 
he will recover. His pulse is now becoming more regu- 
lar and stronger.” Then turning to the others, he 
said : “ Stand aside, please, and let his son and grand- 
son stand where he can see them when he opens his 
eyes, for I think he may soon recover consciousness.” 

365 


The Jaws of Death 

“ Perhaps you do not know that my father has lost 
the recollection of everything except matters pertain- 
ing to his profession as a geologist. ,, 

“ But my dear fellow,” said Christian, “ I am glad 
to say that it is not uncommon for people who have 
lost their reason by means of a severe blow on the 
head to regain it again after receiving a similar blow.” 

“ God grant that it may be so now,” replied the son. 

“ Be ready to notice him if he recognizes you, and 
to answer if he speaks. But don’t speak to him until 
he speaks to you,” said Christian, again feeling the 
man’s pulse. “ The heart-beats are growing stronger.” 

At last the wounded man opened his eyes, and look- 
ing around, evidently recognized none of them. He 
appeared to be afraid of something, for he called out 
in a pleading tone : 

“ Don’t strike me again,” putting up his hand as if 
to ward off a blow from his head. “ You have killed 
my Indian, why do you wish to kill me ? ” 

Then taking his hand from his head, he looked in 
a dazed manner at the blood that marked it. 

“ Don’t say anything,” whispered Christian. “ He 
has evidently awakened in his right senses. I think 
he will recognize you in a moment.” 

Christian was correct ; for as the father looked at his 
son there was recognition in the look. 

“ What are you doing here, Robert?” he inquired. 
“ I thought you were in Philadelphia. I’m so glad to 
see you. I’ve hurt my head somehow or other. I 
366 


The Jaws of Death 

dreamed that it was a blow given to me by a band of 
Mormons and Indians, who killed my Indian guide/’ 
and then he stopped speaking, for his eye had now 
caught the younger Gordon, Robert. 

“ Who are you, my lad,” he said with a smile. 
“ You look like a Gordon. Why, Robert,” he said, 
turning to his son, “ he looks like you ; but he surely 
can’t be your boy, for when I left Philadelphia only a 
few months ago he was a little bit of a chap, and this 
lad looks at least six years older. I know it has only 
been a few months since I left home.” 

“ This is your grandson, father. You have been 
very sick, and have been kept a prisoner by a band of 
Mormons and Indians for six years or over. Here 
is your old friend, Professor Engleman. 

When Gordon saw Engleman he evidently thought 
that only a short time had passed since he had bidden 
him adieu in Philadelphia, where they had often puz- 
zled over mineralogical problems together. 

While they were still talking, Petromelinski and 
Blank, together with some of his party who had 
reached the top of the mesa, approached them. 

“ That’s one rascal less,” said Blank, looking at the 
dead body of Joseph Smith. 

“ Have you taken Mashinsky captive?” inquired 
Petromelinski anxiously. 

“ We have not seen him,” was the reply. “ He must 
have gone with the men with whom you have been 
fighting.” 

“ He certainly was not with them,” replied Blank, 

367 


The Jaws of Death 

“ for we kept careful watch. He must be up here 
yet.” 

Awake-in-the-Night, who had heard the conversa- 
tion, said: 

“ Come with Awake-in-the-Night, he can find fel- 
low for you,” and he led them through the cave and 
over different parts of the mesa without finding him. 

“ Then the rascal has again escaped,” said Petrome- 
linski. “ Blank, I feel that I am justified in doubling 
the reward for the capture of Mashinsky.” 

He then notified the volunteers that he was ready 
to pay down two thousand dollars cash for the taking 
of Mashinsky alive, or one thousand dollars for taking 
him dead. 

Unless I can get this fellow alive and take him 
back to Russia I will lose the good opinion the Czar 
has of me.” 

“ Don’t leave me out, Ivan,” said Blank. “ I rather 
think this country has the first claim on the man, for 
he killed a man in Salt Lake City. However, we will 
catch him and settle that matter afterward.” 

But we have now reached the limits of a single 
volume. It will suffice here to say that, although every 
effort was made to capture Mashinsky, he escaped. 
That the mental recovery of Robert Harold Gordon, 
Sr., continued; that he remembered all of his past life, 
but that, strange to say, his mind continued completely 
blank concerning the six years he had spent in captivity 
with the Mormons since the injury to his head. On 
368 


The Jaws of Death 

afterward talking the matter over with a regular sur- 
geon, they learned that the first blow had probably 
produced a pressure on the brain that the second blow 
had removed. 

They found a wonderful deposit of gold ore on the 
mesa. Moreover, the two elder Gordons began com- 
paring notes as to what each had learned about the rich 
quartz vein of free-milling gold ore in a canon of the 
Colorado. 

When the question arose as to whether the Gordons 
should at once return to the East, the younger man 
wished to take his father away from that part of the 
country immediately. The older man raised such objec- 
tions that Christian privately advised the son that it 
might be dangerous to oppose him. Telegrams were 
therefore sent to Philadelphia, telling the good news, 
and arrangements were made to return to Colorado 
after making a study of the deposit on the mesa. This 
did not require much additional work since this property 
had already been carefully studied by the son. It had 
also been examined by the father, but this being a por- 
tion of his life during his captivity had been blotted 
out from his mind. 

Francksen and Fred returned to Philadelphia with 
many messages for the Gordon family. What was af- 
terward done in California, in Colorado, and else- 
where, will be found in the fourth volume of this series, 
entitled, “ The Yellow Magnet; or, Attracted by Gold.” 

THE END. 


Y 


3^9 


APPENDICES 


A. Mesa Verde. “ The Mesa Verde, the pla- 
teau through which all these canons have plowed their 
deep fissures, is a perfectly level plain overgrown with 
woods of pinon and cedar, so dense that it is usually 
no easy task to force one’s way through them on horse- 
back. It is these woods that have given the mesa its 
name of verde (green), as opposed to the more bar- 
ren regions further south. That portion of the Mesa 
Verde that lies north of the Rio Mancos, the field of my 
researches, forms an independent plateau entirely sur- 
rounded by valleys. To the east it is bounded by Man- 
cos Valley, to the north and west by Montezuma Val- 
ley, to the south by Mancos Canon and the plain north 
of the Rio San Juan. This plateau slopes at an angle 
of about i° toward the south, or in the same direction 
as that in which most of the canons run. Its highest 
point — the summit, twenty-six hundred meters — is 
situated between two branches of Cliff Canon, quite 
close to the steep slope that descends into Montezuma 
Valley. From this point we may enjoy the most mag- 
nificent view over the whole plateau with its intricate 
labyrinth of canons. Far in the south we see the peaks 
of the Chuckluck Mountain, in the territory of the 
Navajo Indians, on the other side of the Rio San 
Juan, and east of them Shiprock, a high, isolated cone 
of volcanic origin. Fashioned by one of nature’s 
370 


APPENDICES 


strange caprices, this mountain resembles a gigantic 
castle with battlements and towers set on the crest 
of a precipice. 

“ That portion of the Mesa Verde that lies southeast 
of the Rio Mancos slopes slowly to the south in the 
general direction of its canons, or from east to west. 
Only on one occasion have I followed one of its canons 
to its head. Beyond this point there seems to lie an 
extensive sandy plain with no canons, bounded to the 
east by a broad valley with steep walls. 

“ The strata of which the Mesa Verde is composed, 
and through which its canons have cut their deep chan- 
nels, consist of thick beds of yellow sandstone, with 
extremely indistinct if any stratification, here and there 
intertwined with shales. The American geologist re- 
fers these strata to the Cretaceous Period. Coal is 
sometimes found in fairly thick seams, and unrecog- 
nizable impressions of plants occur in the shale near the 
coal. In the neighborhood of Grass Canon, southeast 
of the Rio Mancos, are burning coal-beds, which make 
their presence known by gases exhaled through holes 
in the ground ” (G. Nordenskiold, “ The Cliff Dwellers 
of the Mesa Verde ”). 

B. The Plateau Region. “ The plateau country 
also abounds in volcanic rocks and extinct volcanoes. 
It is observable at once that the eruptions have oc- 
curred chiefly around the borders of the province, 
while the interior spaces disclose only occasional traces 
of them. The ages of these eruptions vary greatly. 
371 


APPENDICES 


Some are as old, probably, as Middle Eocene time; 
others are so recent that it seems almost certain that 
they occurred within the last thousand years, and there 
is no intrinsic improbability that some of the earliest 
Spanish visitors may have witnessed them, though they 
have left us no records. In the intervening periods 
many eruptions occurred at one place or another, and 
no long period of time seems to have elapsed without 
them. 

“ The distribution of the volcanic masses is of some 
interest, for we may perceive how they are associated 
with the marginal portions of the province and occur 
very sparingly in the interior parts of it. Near the 
southern base of the Uintas we do not know of any 
large or important masses of volcanic rocks. But our 
knowledge of that portion is not sufficient as yet, and 
future examination may disclose much more eruptive 
material than we are now aware of. Some scattered 
occurrences, however, are known there. Upon the 
eastern flank of the Wasatch there are many patches of 
old lavas, but none of very great dimensions are 
known. South of the Wasatch, in the district of the 
High Plateaus of Utah, we come upon enormous 
masses of volcanic rocks, covering an area of nearly 
nine thousand square miles, and attaining in many 
portions a thickness of three to four thousand feet. 
Most of these are of great antiquity, going back to 
Middle Tertiary time, and some of the oldest ones, 
perhaps, to Eocene time. But there are others which 
are far more recent, and it seems extremely probable 
372 


APPENDICES 


that the latest of them have been erupted within a few 
hundred years. Southwest and south of the High 
Plateaus are many minor volcanoes, not wholly ex- 
tinct; and as we descend to the Grand Canon platform 
we find cinder cones, most of them well preserved, 
scattered about among the cliffs and terraces. As we 
approach the great chasm along its western half, we 
enter several extensive volcanic fields, in which cinder 
cones are thickly clustered. Many streams of basalt 
have flowed from them, flooding many hundred square 
miles of desert. Cones and lavas both show that no 
great length of time has passed since they were in 
action. 

“ Crossing the Grand Canon, and still near the mar- 
gin of the plateau country, we find the respectable vol- 
canic pile of Mount Floyd, and a little farther on we 
reach the much grander masses of the San Francisco 
Mountains. Here is another large volcanic district, 
though much inferior to the High Plateaus, both in the 
area and in the thickness of the lava sheets. But it pos- 
sesses what the High Plateaus do not, viz., great vol- 
canic mountains. The principal pile, San Francisco 
Mountain, is a cone of almost the first order of magni- 
tude. Its altitude above the sea, according to Wheeler, 
is twelve thousand five hundred and' sixty-two feet, and 
it is the loftiest peak in the southwestern part of the 
country. It has long been extinct, and is greatly bat- 
tered by erosion. 

“ Proceeding southeastward, and still keeping near 
the margin of the plateaus, we have hardly left the 
373 


APPENDICES 


lava fields which center around these great volcanoes, 
when we enter upon much more expansive ones. On 
all the old maps of Arizona we see, roughly delin- 
eated, the so-called ‘ Mogollon Mountains.’ They are 
merely the lofty crest of the plateaus looking down 
southwestward over the Sierra country. This crest 
and the tableland north and east of it are thickly 
sheeted over with lavas, and the area so covered is to 
be reckoned only by thousands of square miles. It 
has not been studied as yet by the gelogists, and our 
knowledge of it is too imperfect to justify the attempt 
to describe it. Still further to the southeast, as far as 
the southernmost promontory of the plateau country, 
the volcanic fields increase until they reach their maxi- 
mum expanse. But they have never been studied. 

“ Passing out of this great lava field, and coming 
northward along the eastern margin of the plateaus 
in the Rio Grande Valley, we find many isolated 
patches sheeted over with lava. Indeed, we are seldom 
out of sight of them. Some are of considerable ex- 
tent, others are hardly more than individual coulees. 
West of Albuquerque we find the lava fields very 
abundant, and in the vicinity of the San Mateo Moun- 
tains they become very extensive, and present features 
of the greatest interest and some novelty. . . 

“ The remaining portion of the plateau boundary 
has already been characterized as rather indefinite — 
perhaps from want of accurate knowledge — -but it still 
exhibits abundant relics of volcanic action. The San 
374 


APPENDICES 


Juan Range is almost wholly buried in lavas and vol- 
canic conglomerates. But this range has been re- 
garded as lying just without the margin instead of 
within it. Still we find traces of old eruptions within 
the border, in the shape of dikes and necks, which are 
left projecting above the surface, often to considerable 
altitudes, showing that the lavas have once been there, 
but that they and some of the sedimentary strata, 
which they covered, have been swept away by erosion, 
and have vanished forever from view. 

“ Thus the fact is general that around the borders 
of the plateau country volcanic eruptions have been 
frequent. In making its circuit we are seldom out of 
sight of them, and if the journey were actually per- 
formed by a geologist he could so conduct his route 
that for three-fourths of the way he would be tread- 
ing upon eruptive materials, and pitch his camp upon 
them every night. So far as we now know, none of 
these eruptions are older than Tertiary time; but within 
that limit they are of many ages and some of them are 
extremely recent. In the heart of the plateau country 
volcanic rocks are scarce. Still they occur, but under 
circumstances which are always interesting and sug- 
gestive. It is no uncommon thing in the heart of the 
plateau region to come suddenly upon a long, narrow 
wall of black rock, projecting hundreds of feet in air, 
rising out of a flat plain. The rock is a dike of ba- 
salt or andesite; but the dike itself is all the eruptive 
material we see — no lava stream overflowing the ad- 
joining plain, no cinder cone, no bed of volcanic rub- 
375 


APPENDICES 


bish. A critical examination of the rock indicates 
that it has consolidated under pressure. Instead of 
long, narrow dikes, we often find sharp pinnacles, 
towers, and spires of the same black rock rising one 
thousand feet or more. The people who herd cattle 
in the vicinity call them needles. The geologist would 
call them ‘ necks/ They are the lavas which con- 
solidated in the pipes or orifices in the strata through 
which they came up, while the strata themselves have 
been swept away, leaving these cones standing. The 
rock of which they are composed is more enduring 
against the battering of time than the sandstones and 
shales which once held them. It appears, then, that 
the scarcity of lavas in the interior spaces of the pla- 
teau country is no measure of the actual quantity of 
extravasation which has occurred. Lavas have been 
outpoured there, but have been swept away in the 
general wreck of the land, leaving only these stumps 
of volcanoes to tell the tale. How extensive these erup- 
tions may have been we cannot judge with accuracy. 
Still we are not without the means of inferring with 
considerable confidence that they were never compar- 
able to the vast masses now visible around the borders 
of the province. 

“ Another singular mode in which eruptive rocks 
occur was first shown by Mr. G. K. Gilbert, in his ad- 
mirable work on the Henry Mountains. There the 
lavas, instead of reaching the surface and outflowing 
in broad streams, intruded themselves between the 
strata in great lens-shaped masses, half a mile or more 

376 


APPENDICES 


in diameter and several hundred feet thick. The beds 
above them were domed up, and are now seen curving 
over them. To these intrusive masses, Mr. Gilbert 
gave the name 4 laccolites.’ They present many points 
of interest which he has ably discussed. There are 
several isolated groups of mountains within the pla- 
teaus which exhibit this peculiar action, such as the 
Sierras Carriso, Aba jo, La Sal, La Plata, and El 
Late ” (Capt. Clarence E. Dutton, U. S. A., “ United 
States Geological Survey, 1885 ”). 

C. Bad Lands. “ In the arid region of the west- 
ern portion of the United States, there are certain tracts 
of country which have received the name of mauvaises 
terres, or bad lands. These are dreary wastes — naked 
hills, with rounded or conical forms, composed of sand, 
sandy clays, or fine fragments of shaly rocks, with 
steep slopes, and yielding to the pressure of the foot 
they are climbed only by the greatest toil, and it is a 
labor of no inconsiderable magnitude to penetrate or 
cross such a district of country. The steep hills are 
crowded together, and the waterways separating them 
are deep arroyas. Where the mud rocks, or sandy 
clays and shales, of which the hills are composed, are 
interstratified with occasional harder beds, the slopes 
are terraced; and when these thinly bedded though 
harder rocks prevail, the outlines of the topography 
are changed and present angular surfaces, and give 
rise to another type of topographic features which I 
have denominated Alcove Lands. 

377 


APPENDICES 


“ The area north of the Uinta Mountains embraced 
in the survey is but small. Through the middle of it 
runs Green River, in a deep, narrow valley, the sides 
or walls of which sometimes approach so near to each 
other and are so precipitous as to form a canon. 

“ The general surface of the country, on the north 
of this district, is about a thousand feet above the 
river, with peaks here and there rising a few hundred 
feet higher; but south, toward the Uinta Mountains, 
this general surface within a few miles of the river 
gradually descends, and at the foot of the mountains 
we find a valley on either side, with a direction trans- 
verse to that of the course of Green River and parallel 
to the mountain range. 

“ To the north the waterways are all deeply eroded; 
the permanent streams have flood-plains of greater or 
lesser extent, but the channels of the wet-weather 
streams; i. e those which are dry during the greater 
part of the year, are narrow, and much broken by 
abrupt falls. 

“ The rocks are the sediments of a dead lake, and 
are quite variable in lithologic characteristics. We 
find thinly laminated shales, hard limestones, breaking 
with an angular fracture, crumbling bad-land rocks, 
and homogeneous, heavily bedded sandstones. 

“ The scenic features of the country are alike vari- 
able. On the cliffs about Green River City towers and 
buttes are seen as you look from below, always re- 
garded by the passing traveler as strange freaks of 
nature. The limestones, interstratified with shales, 

378 


APPENDICES 


give terraced and buttressed characteristics to the es- 
carpments of the canons and narrow valleys. 

“ Immediately south of Bitter Creek, on the east 
side of Green River, there is a small district of coun- 
try which we have called the Alcove Land. On the east 
it is drained by Little Bitter Creek, a dry gulch much 
of the year. This runs north into Bitter Creek, a per- 
manent stream, which empties into the Green. The 
crest of this watershed is an irregular line, only two to 
four miles back from the river, but usually more than 
a thousand feet above it, so that the waters have a 
rapid descent, and every shower-born rill has excavated 
a deep, narrow channel, and these narrow canons are 
so close to each other as to be separated by walls of 
rock so steep in most places that they cannot be scaled, 
and many of these little canons are so broken by falls 
as to be impassable in either direction. 

“ The whole country is cut in this way into irregu- 
lar, angular blocks, standing as buttresses, benches, and 
towers, about deep waterways and gloomy alcoves ” 
(Powell, “Exploration of the Colorado River of the 
West ”). 

D. Grand Canon. “ The varying depths of this 
canon, due to the varying altitudes of the plateaus 
through which it runs, can only be seen from above. 
As we wind about in the gloomy depths below, the 
difference between four thousand and six thousand feet 
is not discerned, but the characteristics of the canon — 
the scenic features — change abruptly with the change 
379 


APPENDICES 


in the altitude of the walls, as the faults are passed. In 
running the channel, which divides the twin plateaus, 
we pass around the first great southern bend. In the 
very depths of the canon we have black granite, with a 
narrow cleft through which a great river plunges. 
This granite portion of the walls is carved with deep 
gulches and embossed with pinnacles and towers. 
Above are broken, ragged, non-conformable rocks, in 
many places sloping back at a low angle. Clambering 
over these we reach rocks lying in horizontal beds. 
Some are soft, many very hard; the softer strata are 
washed out, the harder remain as shelves. Everywhere 
there are side gulches and canons, so that these gulches 
are set about ten thousand dark, gloomy alcoves. One 
might imagine that this was intended for the library 
of the gods, and it was. The shelves are not for books, 
but form the stony leaves of one great book. He who 
would read the language of the universe may dig out 
letters here and there, and with them spell the words 
and read in a slow and imperfect way, but still so as 
to understand a little the story of creation. 

“ These rust-colored shelves have above them soft 
shales of a lemon color, and in ascending the wall we 
climb them by passing up a steep slope, curiously 
carved by innumerable rainy-day rills. Above these 
we find homogeneous limestone, a thousand feet in 
thickness, standing in vertical cliffs. On top of this 
great bed we find soft sandstones, so washed away as 
to leave comparatively flat spaces of solid rock above — 
380 


APPENDICES 


a bench on which we can walk on the side of the Grand 
Canon, more than four thousand feet above the river. 

“ In many places the conditions of erosion have been 
such that great blocks have been severed from the main 
plateau and stand as outliers, their sides having all the 
elaborate sculpture of the walls of the canon. Lieuten- 
ant Ives, who explored the lower Colorado, made a 
land trip from a point below the Grand Canon around 
to the southwest, and climbed the San Francisco Pla- 
teau, and from an elevated point he could look off to the 
northeast and see the region of which we are now 
speaking. Of this country he says : ‘The extent and 
magnitude of the system of canons in that direction is 
astounding. The plateau is cut into shreds by these 
gigantic chasms and resembles a vast ruin. Belts of 
country, miles in width, have been swept away, leav- 
ing only isolated mountains standing in the gap. 
Fissures so profound that the eye cannot penetrate their 
depths, are separated by walls whose thickness one can 
almost span, and slender spires that seem tottering 
upon their base shoot up a thousand feet from vaults 
below.’ 

“ In other regions the rocks, when not covered with 
soil or more vigorous vegetation, are at least lichened 
or stained, and the rocks themselves of somber hue; 
but in this region they are naked, and many of them 
brightly colored as if painted by artist gods ; not stained 
and daubed with inharmonious hues, but beautiful as 
flowers and gorgeous as the clouds. Such are the 
38i 


APPENDICES 


walls of the Grand Canon of the Colorado where it 
divides the twin plateaus” (Powell, “ Exploration of 
the Colorado River of the West ”). 

E. Lava Floods. “ We have no difficulty as we 
float along, and I am able to observe the wonderful 
phenomena connected with this flood of lava. The 
canon was doubtless filled to a height of twelve or 
fifteen hundred feet, perhaps by more than one flood. 
This would dam the water back, and in cutting through 
this great lava bed a new channel has been formed, 
sometimes on one side, sometimes on the other. The 
cooled lava being of firmer texture than the rocks of 
which the walls are composed remains in some places ; 
in others a narrow channel has been cut, leaving a 
line of basalt on either side. It is possible that the lava 
cooled faster on the sides against the walls, and that 
the center ran out; but of this we can only conjecture. 
There are other places where almost the whole of the 
lava is gone, patches of it only being seen where it has 
caught on the walls. As we float down we can see that 
it ran out into side canons. In some places this ba- 
salt has a fine columnar structure, often in concen- 
tric prisms, and masses of these concentric columns 
have coalesced. In some places when the flow occurred 
the canon was probably at about the same depth as it 
is now, for we can see where the basalt has rolled out 
on the sands, and, what seems curious to me, the sands 
are not melted or metamorphosed to any appreciable 
extent. In places the bed of the river is of sandstone 
382 


APPENDICES 


i 

or limestone, in other places of lava, showing that it 
has all been cut out again where the sandstones and 
limestones appear, but there is a little yet left where the 
bed is of lava. 

“ What a conflict of water and fire there must have 
been here ! Just imagine a river of molten rock running 
down into a river of melted snow. What a seething 
and boiling of the waters! What clouds of steam 
rolled into the heavens! ” (Powell, “ Explorations of 
the Colorado River of the West.”) 


383 


MINERALS MENTIONED IN VOLUME III 


For the sake of those who are making collections of 
minerals, the following brief descriptions of some of 
the mineral species referred to but not described in 
this volume are here given. 

In most cases, the chemical composition of the 
minerals is placed immediately after the name. This, 
however, is only given for the sake of those who wish 
this information. The exact chemical compositions of 
the minerals are not necessary to understand their 
general propeities. 

Agate (Si0 2 ). A variety of chalcedony, consist- 
ing of numerous layers arranged in extremely thin, 
parallel bands that are either straight, curved, or zig- 
zag. 

Agate, like other forms of quartz, is sufficiently hard 
to scratch glass, and will take a high polish. It oc- 
curs in pebbles of irregular outlines. These pebbles, 
when cut and polished, show that the mass consists of a 
great number of very thin layers, generally deposited 
in irregular layers. 

The peculiar banding of agate is due to the fact 
that the separate layers of which the mineral consists 
have been deposited on one another, very slowly and 
at different times. 

Agates were formed in the interior of what are 
3&I 


MINERALS MENTIONED IN VOLUME III 


called amygdules, or hollow spaces in the interior of 
igneous rocks, or rocks that were once in a liquid state 
by reason of great heat. While cooling, these rocks 
had cavities or hollow spaces, of sizes varying from 
that of a small pea to a large goose egg or over, 
blown in them by the volatilization of drops of water 
or other liquids. These spaces have been filled with thin 
layers of quartz, by heated waters passing over the 
igneous rocks and gradually penetrating the hollow 
spaces and filling them. These waters carry with 
them very small quantities of quartz, or silica, that 
they have dissolved out of the igneous rocks, and on 
their evaporation have left it as a very thin but uni- 
form lining, covering the inside of the cavities. As the 
cavities are successively filled with water containing 
dissolved quartz, the layers are deposited over one 
another, and since these fillings take place at differ- 
ent times, the layers are apt to be of different colors, 
owing to the small quantities of coloring materials 
present. 

The successive layers of the bands of agate are very 
thin. Many thousands have been counted in the thick- 
ness of a single inch. 

Sometimes agate pebbles are found that are par- 
tially hollow, only a portion of the interior space hav- 
ing been filled with quartz from the infiltrating waters. 
Such masses are called geodes, and are generally found 
lined with crystals of quartz or amethyst. 

It is interesting to study the appearance presented 
by any good specimen of agate that has been cut 

z 385 


MINERALS MENTIONED IN VOLUME III 


across the pebble and polished. In such cases the 
center of the deposited mass has collected around it 
in more or less regular layers. Various names are 
given to agates from the appearance of these succes- 
sive layers, a very common form being known as eye 
agate , from the eyelike appearance of the center of 
the mass. 

Amethyst (Si0 2 ). A variety of quartz, of a pur- 
ple or bluish color, that is used for ornamental pur- 
poses. 

The color of the amethyst is believed to be due to 
the presence of small quantities of manganese. When 
amethyst is heated it changes to a yellow color. 

Borax (Na 2 B 4 0 7 +ioH 2 0). A chemical substance 
that is known as hydrated borate of sodium occurring 
in the mineral form 

It is not necessary for the younger students to puzzle 
over the chemical formula shown as the composition of 
borax. It is enough to know that borax consists of 
two atoms of sodium (Na 2 ), combined chemically with 
boric acid, or four atoms of boron (B 4 ) and seven 
atoms of oxygen (0 7 ), and that to these have been 
added, by a weaker chemical combination, ten parts of 
water, or ioH 2 0. 

Borax is an important mineral that is common in 
the waters of some inland lakes. On portions of the 
borders of such lakes that have lost their waters by 
evaporation, large crystals of borax are often found. 

386 


MINERALS MENTIONED IN VOLUME III 


Borax is used in the manufacture of boric acid. It 
is also used for the preservation of meat and fish. 

Carnelian (Si0 2 ). A variety of chalcedony con- 
sisting of red and brownish-red material. 

Cerargyrite (AgCl). An ore of silver, consisting 
of one atom of silver combined with one atom of 
chlorine, or silver chloride. 

Cerargyrite is sometimes known as horn silver , be- 
cause it possesses a horny appearance. 

It is interesting to note that this mineral, silver 
chloride, has the same composition as a substance used 
in photography, for making silver prints. In other 
words, it is slightly blackened on exposure to light. 

Chalcedony (Si0 2 ). A variety of quartz that ap- 
pears to be amorphous, or to possess no regular crys- 
talline form. 

Chalcedony possesses a waxy luster and even frac- 
ture, and a hardness like that of ordinary quartz. This 
mineral seems to have been deposited from a solution 
of quartz in water in cavities in igneous rocks. It is 
generally banded in structure. 

Chalcedony occurs in a great variety of colors, vary- 
ing from white, yellowish-brown, and dark brown. It 
occurs in kidney-shaped masses, or in stalactitic or 
icicle-like forms. 

There are a great variety of chalcedonys, such as 
agate , carnelian , onyx, sardonyx, etc. 

387 


MINERALS MENTIONED IN VOLUME III 


Flint (Si0 2 ). A variety of nearly opaque quartz, 
of a dull color, varying from gray to smoky-brown and 
brownish-black, that is generally found coated on the 
outside with layers of lime or chalk. 

Flint is generally found associated with chalk for- 
mations. It is of organic origin, having been derived 
from the spicula, or sharp, thornlike masses of quartz 
found in sponges. It has been found in microscopic 
form in plants known as diatoms , etc. 

Flint possesses a conchoidal or shell-like fracture. It 
has a marked cleavage, and being, like other varieties 
of quartz, very hard, it was employed in prehistoric 
times by the Indians and others for the making of 
arrow-heads, spear-heads, etc. 

Garnets. A name given to a variety of complex 
minerals, consisting of silica combined with various 
substances. 

Garnets occur generally in the crystalline rocks. 
They are of various shapes and colors, deep red being 
the commonest. 

Gypsum (CaS0 4 +2H 2 0). An important com- 
pound, consisting of one atom of calcium (Ca), com- 
bined with one atom of sulphur and four atoms of 
oxygen, to which a certain quantity of water ( 2 H 2 O), 
called water of crystallization, has been added. 

Gypsum forms what the chemists know as sulphate 
of lime. It occurs in the form of clear, transparent 
crystals, so soft that they can readily be scratched by 
the thumb nail. 


388 


MINERALS MENTIONED IN VOLUME III 


Sulphate of lime is present in the waters of the 
ocean and of inland lakes, so that when these waters 
are evaporated crystals of gypsum are separated. 

When heated in a furnace gypsum parts with its 
water of crystallization (2H 2 0), and is changed into 
an opaque white substance known as plaster of Paris, 
the material that is employed for covering walls, ma- 
king casts, etc. 

Finely crystalline varieties of gypsum form what 
are known as selenite . Varieties that occur in a fibrous 
form are called satin spar, while a massive variety, 
generally of a pure white, though sometimes colored, 
forms what is known as alabaster. 

Gypsum is readily cleaved, breaking into thin, trans- 
parent plates, resembling mica but much softer. Some- 
times where the crystals have been slightly separated, 
so that a film of air can penetrate the mass, rainbow 
colors, known as Newton’s rings, are seen. These 
colors are due to the interference of light. 

Halite (NaCl). An important mineral, also 
known as rock salt, or common table salt , invariably 
found in the waters of the ocean, or of lakes or seas 
that only lose their waters by evaporation. 

Halite consists of one atom of sodium (Na), com- 
bined with one atom of chlorine (Cl), and therefore 
forms what the chemists call sodium chloride. 

It is easy to recognize halite, since, when touched to 
the tongue, it is found to possess the well-known salty 
taste of common table salt. 

389 


MINERALS MENTIONED IN VOLUME III 


Halite has a vitreous or glasslike luster, and can 
readily be cut or scratched by the knife. It is clear and 
transparent when pure, but sometimes occurs in dif- 
ferent shades of red and yellow, while at times deep 
blue patches are seen in otherwise colorless, trans- 
parent crystals. 

Jasper (Si0 2 ). An impure variety of quartz, that 
occurs generally of a red color due to oxide of iron, 
although sometimes of a yellowish or dark-green color. 

Jasper sometimes occurs with the colors arranged 
in bands. This variety is known as ribbon jasper . 
The bands are usually, in fine specimens obtained from 
the Ural Mountains, of reddish-brown and sage-green 
colors, arranged in parallel straight bands. 

Mirabilite (Na 2 S0 4 +ioH 2 0). A crystalline salt, 
consisting of sulphate of soda with water of crystalliza- 
tion, that is better known under the name of Glai&er’s 
salt. 

Moss Agate (Si0 2 ). A variety of agate in which 
mosslike deposits of differently colored minerals, such 
as chlorite , manganese oxide, or other minerals, occur, 
so distributed through the mass as to give it the 
appearance of moss imbedded in the material. In 
some forms of moss agate the moss-shaped collection 
of crystals, instead of being distributed through a mass 
of agate, are distributed through crystals of clear, 
colorless quartz. 


390 


MINERALS MENTIONED IN VOLUME III 


Natrolite. A complex salt, consisting of silicic 
acid combined with sodium and aluminium. 

Natrolite is a brittle, colorless, crystalline substance, 
possessing an uneven fracture and a colorless streak; 
that is, it does not leave a colored mark when drawn 
over a surface. 

It sometimes occurs in needle-shaped crystals in a 
variety known as the fibrous zeolite. 

Obsidian. A variety of volcanic glass that is 
formed when molten rock or lava of a certain kind 
cools rapidly. 

Obsidian occurs in colors varying from gray to 
black, but sometimes grayish-black, purplish, red, and 
brown, and sometimes, though rarely, almost color- 
less. 

A variety of obsidian, of a highly porous character 
from the presence of numerous minute air bubbles, is 
known as pumice stone. 

Onyx (Si0 2 ). A variety of chalcedony, consisting 
of alternate layers of strongly contrasting colors, 
usually white and black or white and brown. 

The alternate colors are like those in agate, except 
that the banding is straight and the layers generally lie 
in even planes. 

The fact that the layers in onyx are flat permits this 
stone to be used in cameos , in which the object is cut 
in the light-colored material — say in the white — of 
one layer, the next layer being left in the background. 
39i 


MINERALS MENTIONED IN VOLUME III 


Opal (Si0 2 ). A variety of silica that, unlike all 
others, contains a small quantity of water. 

Opal is an amorphous body ; that is, it does not occur 
in crystalline form. 

A peculiarity of the opal is due to a property known 
as opalescence, which causes the mineral to present the 
peculiar appearance of water containing a small quan- 
tity of milk. In other words, the mineral exhibits a 
display of colors. 

Opals occur in various colors. They are sometimes 
transparent, but generally only translucent. The va- 
riety known as precious opal is highly prized from the 
magnificent play of colors possessed by some species. 
One variety, known as the fire opal , throws off a bright 
red flash of light, not unlike that of a fire. Another 
variety, that gives off various colors of light, is known 
as the harlequin opal. It is interesting to note that 
some varieties of so-called petrified zvood consist of 
species of common opal. 

Quartz (Si0 2 ). A mineral that is widely distrib- 
uted throughout nature. 

Quartz consists of one atom of silicon (Si), com- 
bined with two atoms of oxygen (0 2 ), forming a 
chemical substance known as silica. 

Quartz occurs in a great variety of forms, some of 
them occurring as crystals that possess the transpar- 
ency, luster, and brilliancy of the diamond, although 
not its hardness. 

It is quartz that forms the greatest portion of the 
392 


MINERALS MENTIONED IN VOLUME III 


sands of the seashore. It also occurs in sandstone, and 
forms an important portion of many other rocks, such 
as granite and gneiss. 

Sardonyx (Si0 2 ). A variety of chalcedony con- 
sisting, like the onyx, of layers of white and brown, 
or white and brown with occasional layers of sard or 
carnelian. 

Sylvite (KC1). A comparatively rare mineral, 
that is sometimes found in rock salt or halite, which 
it closely resembles in color, taste, and hardness. 

When pure, sylvite can easily be distinguished from 
halite; for, if a small fragment is placed in the color- 
less flame of a Bunsen burner it will give a violet 
color to the flame, while a piece of halite, or rock salt, 
similarly treated gives the flame a deep yellow color. 

Sylvite is now employed in some of the electro- 
chemical laboratories near Niagara Falls, and else- 
where, in the manufacture of an important chemical 
salt known as potassium chlorate. 

Sylvite consists of one atom of potassium (K), com- 
bined with one atom of chlorine (Cl). It is there- 
fore what the chemists call potassium chloride. 

Thenardite (Na 2 S0 4 ). A mineral substance con- 
sisting of sulphate of soda, or two atoms of sodium 
(Na 2 ), combined with one atom of sulphur (S) and 
four atoms of oxygen (0 4 ). 


393 


NOTE 


For the sake of those who wish to understand to 
some extent the chemical compositions as represented 
by the chemical formula placed after the names 
of the minerals, the following elementary facts are 
given : 

In order to avoid the necessity for writing out the 
full names of the chemical elements, abbreviations, 
known as chemical symbols , are employed. For ex- 
ample, instead of writing silicon, the first two letters, 
Si, are employed. In this symbol the first letter, S, 
would be employed were it not for the fact that the 
letter S is employed as the symbol for sulphur. Con- 
sequently, the first and second letters of the word 
silicon are used, or Si. In the case of silver, since both 
S and Si have been employed, A g, two letters of the 
Latin name for silver, argentum, are used. 

So too, since P is employed for the element phos- 
phorus, it cannot be employed for potassium, hence K, 
the first letter of the Latin name, kalium, is used. 

But the chemical symbols mean more than the mere 
names of the chemical elements. They stand for an 
atom of each of these elements ; that is, for what is pro- 
visionally regarded as the smallest quantity of the ele- 
ments that can exist alone. Moreover, when the chemi- 
cal atoms have entered into chemical combination with 
one another, this fact is indicated by writing the sym- 
394 


NOTE 


bols next to one another; thus NaCl not only means 
sodium and chlorine, but it, moreover, means that one 
atom of sodium has been chemically combined with one 
atom of chlorine. 

When it is desired to indicate that a weaker or less 
energetic chemical combination has taken place, this is 
done by the + sign, thus: CaS0 4 +2H 2 0. This for- 
mula shows that one atom of lime or calcium, one atom 
of sulphur, and four atoms of oxygen have been ener- 
getically combined, but that in addition to this there is 
a weaker combination of two parts of water, a sub- 
stance consisting of two atoms of hydrogen combined 
with one atom of oxygen. 

In the following table will be found the chemical 
symbols of the elements referred to in the preceding 
minerals : 


NAMES OF CHEMICAL 

CHEMICAL ELEMENTS SYMBOLS 

Boron B 

Bromine Br 

Chlorine Cl 

Hydrogen H 

Iodine I 

Oxygen O 

Potassium (Kalium) K 

Silicon Si 

Silver (Argentum) Ag 

Sodium (Natrium) Na 

Sulphur S 


395 















































